Songs Of the Elves
by Marie Noire
Summary: This is a harmless piece of fan fic meant only to amuse and purge my own creative demons. I have NOT read the books and am going purely on the movie. A hopefully non-Mary Sue romance between an original character and everyone's fave elf. R&R, please!
1. Every story, new or ancient...

Songs of the Elves  
  
  
  
By Marie Noire  
  
With apologies to J.R.R. Tolkien!  
  
  
  
Every story, new or ancient  
  
Bagatelle or work of art  
  
All are tales of human failing  
  
All are tales of love at heart  
  
  
  
- Aida  
  
  
  
Jason groaned and shook his head, willing the throb at the base of his skull to please, please, for the love of God, go away. It didn't and he laid his head back down on his pillow wearily with a groan, not bothering to open his eyes. What had happened? Last he remembered… they had just gotten the doors of Moria opened and seen the bodies lying strewn inside… then a squid, or something like it, had attacked them. The doorway had begun to collapse… then Gandalf had begun reciting something in Elvish and although Legolas had been toiling with Jason to teach him the language… he'd had very little success thus far. Something about asking Valar for a safe place… secret and safe.  
  
  
  
He must have blacked out after that… obviously they had escaped somehow, since he was still breathing. And he could hear Gimli groan and mutter a curse in dwarvish. Had everyone blacked out? Were they now lying sprawled about some forest floor? Maybe they were back in Rivendell… or the hobbits' Shire…  
  
  
  
"Hey, early birds! It's seven o'clock! Time to wake up and join the Land of the Living! I'm Glen Kalina and this is Alice 104.5, hits from the eighties, nineties and more! If you're like my cohost Alex, and need a jump start this Tuesday morning, here's a new song from Meatloaf to get you on your feet!"  
  
  
  
Jason sprang out of his bed like a shot, his heart thumping a mile a minute. "Holy fucking shit! I'm home! How did I-? Boromir! Frodo! Aragorn! Wake up!" he yelled at the top of his lungs.  
  
  
  
The others looked about as weary and sore as he felt, but all pained expressions fled at their sudden surroundings. The entire Fellowship minus Gandalf had apparently been sprawled out across Jason's studio apartment; Jason in his bed, Gimli at one end of the couch, Frodo at the other with Sam on the floor nearby, Merry and Pippin were next to each other on Jason's huge comfy armchair, Legolas was on the floor all but under the coffee table, Aragorn was propped up in the one uncluttered corner that Jason owned, and Boromir was crammed onto the loveseat with his legs dangling over one arm. Jason stumbled in his attempt to find his damned clock radio and nearly smashed it with his foot before shutting off the tinny roar of electric guitars and Jim Steinman piano chords.  
  
  
  
"Christ! Holy Christ! I'm home! Jesus fucking Christ!" he panted, unable to stop a foolish grin from splitting his face.  
  
  
  
"Home?" Boromir repeated in irritation. "What sorcery is this? Where are we?"  
  
  
  
"Home! This is where I came from! I told you! Earth… although not Middle Earth… the United States… New York City!" he scrambled out to his small balcony window and stuck his head out, ignoring the suffocating humidity of the July air and screaming. "I'm HOME!!!!"  
  
  
  
"Yo! Will you shut up down there! There's people trying to fuckin' sleep!" his upstairs neighbor shouted angrily.  
  
  
  
Jason pulled his head back in with a sheepish grin and called up. "Sorry, Lex!"  
  
  
  
"Wait… if this is your home… how did we get here?" Frodo, sometimes the only sensible one of the group piped up.  
  
  
  
"Beats me." Jason shrugged. "Christ… what day is it? How long was I gone for?"  
  
  
  
"Tuesday, July 2nd… 2002, if you must know." Gandalf finally spoke from the doorway of Jason's kitchen.  
  
  
  
"July 2nd?" Jason repeated, having now gotten used to the wizard's odd comings and goings. "You mean… no time has passed here at all?"  
  
  
  
"A few hours perhaps… but not enough for a missing person's report to have been filed if that's what you were wondering." Gandalf nodded. "I must admit… this was not exactly what I had in mind when I cast that spell… but it will do for now, I suppose, while we regroup and decide what to do next."  
  
  
  
"You brought us here." Aragorn sighed in relief. "How do we get back?"  
  
  
  
"That is what we are regrouping for… I need to figure that part out." Gandalf said in his maddeningly nonchalant way.  
  
  
  
"Oh wonderful… you cast us all into limbo and have no idea how to get us back?" Gimli grumbled, rubbing his head in annoyance. "Meanwhile Jaycen is runnin' about like a crazed squirrel and chatterin' about as much."  
  
  
  
"Patience, friend-dwarf… he is home after all." Legolas shrugged, grimacing as he attempted to stretch the kinks out of his back.  
  
  
  
"Well, I'm waitin' fer him to stop bein' home and start makin' sense. Nooyawk… sounds like an orc town… if orcs had towns. Jaycen! Stop yer wailing and do somethin' useful!" the dwarf seethed.  
  
  
  
Jason, also having grown used to the Middle Earthlings odd pronunciation of his name, finally settled down. "Okay, okay… sorry… man, this is screwed up… okay. It's not Nooyawk… it's New York… two words. It's one of the most diverse cities in the world and the 'meeting place' for just about everyone. It has an estimated population of twenty million people. Whatever you want to do in the world, you can do it in New York… the unofficial world capitol, if you will."  
  
  
  
"Twenty million people?" Merry repeated. "That's a lot more than the Shire…"  
  
  
  
"You think?" Pip asked… being completely serious… or as serious as Pippin was capable of.  
  
  
  
"Twenty million…" Legolas echoed. "All… men?"  
  
  
  
Jason snickered slightly. "All the race of men, yes… there's no such thing as hobbits or elves or orcs or goblins here or anywhere else in my world. Dwarves… well sort of… but technically they're just what we call stunted humans… and not with any ounce of political correctness."  
  
  
  
"Stunted?!" Gimli growled. "I'll show 'em who's stunted!"  
  
  
  
"Easy, Gimli! We all know you're not stunted…" Jason raised his hands in self-defense. "Work with me here… um… let's see… oh, Jesus! Did that DJ say it was Tuesday morning? Tuesday… Tuesday… where would she be?"  
  
  
  
Jason dove for the telephone and grabbed it off the base eagerly, pressing the buttons with some clumsiness. The others looked at the device strangely, as though they half-expected it to suddenly sprout teeth and attack them. Jason frowned. "Dammit… that's her answering machine… someone remember this number! 856… 934… 7417."  
  
  
  
"What is the use of a number? Suddenly we've gone from riddles in the dark to mysterious numbers at dawn?" Boromir grumbled, looking around at the flat in both wonder and irritation.  
  
  
  
"Okay… repeat it back… Legolas?" Jason asked.  
  
  
  
"8569347417… what is it?" Legolas repeated uncannily.  
  
  
  
A brief pause while Jason pressed more buttons. "Hey! Katie! I am so glad you have a cell phone, cuz! Hang on a minute, will you?"  
  
  
  
He pressed a button on the base and set the receiver back down. "Okay, that's better… can you hear me, Kate?"  
  
  
  
"Did you put me on speaker phone, Jay? You know I hate that… take me off!" a female voice issued from the base, sending every except Gandalf a few steps back.  
  
  
  
"Just trust me, Katie… where are you?" Jason asked.  
  
  
  
"I'm on the Garden State Expressway, heading for the shore house, why?" the voice called Katie replied. "You're still coming down, right? Cuz, if you're backing out now, I will head right back up to New York and slap you silly… not that it's a far trip for you."  
  
  
  
"Oh shit… right… it's shore week. I'll be there… I just… Christ… haven't packed yet… do you mind if I bring a few friends?" Jason ran a hand through his black hair nervously.  
  
  
  
A pause. "How many is 'a few', Jason?"  
  
  
  
"Um… nine."  
  
  
  
"Nine! What is this? A bed and breakfast?" she all but shrieked.  
  
  
  
"Um… no."  
  
  
  
"Jason… okay fine… as long as you promise you won't be up AD-ing or whatever until five in the morning like you were last year, got it?"  
  
  
  
"That would be called role-playing, cuz… and I think I've had enough of it for now. I can't vouch for the curfew, but-"  
  
  
  
"Do I make myself clear, Jason?"  
  
  
  
"Crystal… completely transparent, Katie."  
  
  
  
"Good… see you in a few hours, Jay."  
  
  
  
"You rock, cuz!"  
  
  
  
A click and the voice was gone, replaced by a continuous tone that made everyone's ears buzz. Jason hit another button to silence it. "All right, Ocean City! On Fourth of July weekend! This is great! I can finally show you guys what I've been talking about! Cars and television and radios and all of it! Shit, I'm going to have to rent a van or something… my car only seats four, five at most… I have to pack. Man, Katie is never going to believe this."  
  
  
  
"Jaycen, slow down… what are you talking about?" Boromir shook Jason slightly by the shoulders.  
  
  
  
Jason took a few deep breaths. "Okay… think of it as a tradition. Every summer, my cousin and I meet at out family's house on the ocean for a week or so. Today is the day we would normally meet, the start of Independence Day weekend. I just spoke to her on the telephone to make sure it was okay for you all to come with. It's a vacation… we can relax and all. It'll give Gandalf a fine chance to think about how to get us back and The Ring… well, there aren't any Ringwraiths or orcs here to look for it. All we have to do is keep from losing it and Frodo's done a bang-up job of that so far, right?"  
  
  
  
"And what will we do in this… Ocean City?" Boromir asked.  
  
  
  
"Well… there's the beach of course and the nightlife… we could do whatever we want really. This isn't like Middle Earth… we don't have to worry about goblin raids at night… or giant squids in the water… I mean no mugger in his right mind would take on a group of nine, even in New York." Jason babbled.  
  
  
  
"Leisure then?" Legolas suggested.  
  
  
  
"Exactly! Leisure! Downtime… we can all relax once we get to Ocean City. I have a few phone calls to make to get everything squared away… you all can make yourselves at home."  
  
  
  
"Breakfast?" Pip asked eagerly.  
  
  
  
"Uh… there's cereal in the cupboard… should be eggs and bacon in the fridge…"  
  
  
  
"The what?"  
  
  
  
Jason shot Gandalf a pleading look. "Please make sure that the hobbits don't destroy my kitchen, please?"  
  
  
  
"I make no promises when a Took is involved… but I will do my best." 


	2. Then from out of the blue...

Songs of the Elves  
  
  
  
By Marie Noire  
  
With apologies to J.R.R. Tolkien!  
  
((  
  
  
  
Then from out of the blue  
  
And without any guide  
  
You know what your decision is  
  
Which is not to decide  
  
  
  
- Into the Woods  
  
  
  
Katie hummed as she unpacked the groceries in the kitchen of her family's Victorian shore-house. Lunchmeat, bread, soda, milk, condiments, chicken and ribs for barbecuing… all of the essentials for a summer vacation lined up on the counter. It couldn't have come at a better time… maybe a little rest and relaxation would help her decide what to do next.  
  
  
  
Outwardly, nothing monumental had happened in Katie's life. She was twenty-six, working as a secretary and nurse tech for a suburban doctor's office, and was semi-involved with a fellow she'd known since college. In truth, there was nothing terribly wrong with her life. However, one morning, she'd woken up knowing that this was not what she wanted her life to be; an endless circle of days spent typing and nights spent with her VCR and writing journal. Why couldn't she be just a little bit more like Jason? Her endearing, if somewhat alarming cousin had shocked the entire family by dropping out of law school to pursue a career as an actor in New York City. Now after six years of being the proverbial starving artist, he had finally landed his dream role… the Phantom in Phantom of the Opera. He had taken a chance in his life and now he was doing exactly what he wanted to.  
  
  
  
Kate, on the other hand, had mildly agreed to "uphold the family name" by being the practical one. She had gone to a university straight out of high school, never begged for money, got drunk, or partied. Quietly, she earned her degree in English and had gone on to take the secretarial job as a favor to Dr. Jacobs, who was a friend of the family. She had planned only on getting her teaching certification after that and getting a job at a local high school.  
  
  
  
On the subject of relationships, while she did go out with girls from the office on the odd occasion, she had no one whom she could honestly call her best friend. She supposed that title was best applied to Jason. Even Michael, her on-again-off-again boyfriend, did not fit the bill. He was the epitome of a workaholic; a banker who was wealthy enough for several people, but who did not know the meaning of the word leisure. When he traveled, which was often, she barely missed him. She did not love him after all… they were only together because the alternative was to be alone. Until recently, she had been content with that… now suddenly she was anxiously wishing for a white knight on a galloping charger to save her from her nice, sensible, boring life.  
  
  
  
She was at a crossroads. This weeklong vacation with Jason would be her reflection period and at its end, she would make her decision. Teaching? Writing? Boyfriend? Single? Chuck it all and join the circus? Whatever her decision was, she would make it by herself. 


	3. Life is a road and I want to keep going....

Songs of the Elves  
  
  
  
By Marie Noire  
  
With apologies to J.R.R. Tolkien!  
  
1 Life is a road and I want to keep going  
  
2 Love is a river I want to keep flowing  
  
2.1 Life is a road now and forever  
  
Wonderful journey  
  
  
  
- Anastasia  
  
  
  
Jason sighed and leaned against the Ford Explorer he had somehow managed to rent last minute on Fourth of July weekend. While Gandalf stood beside him, the rest of the Fellowship hung back about fifty feet away, eyeing the grey minivan cautiously. Legolas had once more readied an arrow much to Jason's dismay. The elf had already come entirely too close to shooting his stereo, his alarm clock, his Mister Coffee, and his next-door neighbor's cat.  
  
"Guys, come on. I told you… it's like a wagon, only faster and more comfortable. Completely safe, I promise you." Jason explained yet again.  
  
Gimli was the first to take Jason's word for it and climb into the Explorer through the side door, then Boromir and Legolas, followed by the four hobbits and Aragorn brought up the rear. Gandalf had claimed shotgun… in exactly those words, much to Jason's surprise. Jason started the vehicle after some quick instructions on how to operate a safety belt. Thanks to the gentle hum of the engine and the chamomile tea that Jason had given them, a good number of the Fellowship drifted off to sleep before they were even beyond the end of the Lincoln Tunnel. Gandalf was awake, gently humming along to Jason's radio and smiling over a map of New Jersey.  
  
"So… I take it you've been here before?" Jason asked tentatively.  
  
"To New York? Yes, I'm afraid. Busy, bustling city… never did like it for very long… I prefer London. But this world you live in has its charms I'll admit." Gandalf replied brightly.  
  
"You know… you knew about my world?" Jason asked in amazement. "You can go back and forth between Middle Earth and here? Then… why didn't you just send me back when I showed up? It would've saved you a lot of trouble. I mean, I nearly got Pippin and Merry killed that one time… and don't even mention that business with the goblins."  
  
"Jaycen, Jaycen… calm yourself. I can transport myself from world to world with relative ease. But another person? That's a far more clever trick than I can do at a moment's notice." Gandalf explained.  
  
"Oh… so… that's why you need to 'figure out' how to get everyone back? This little break is for you to gather your concentration?"  
  
"In a manner of speaking. I have every expectation that the solution to this problem will present itself to me before the week is out. Solutions are rather odd like that."  
  
"Hmm." Jason said by way of reply. In all honesty, he would be very sorry to see his newfound friends go back on their adventure and leave him behind. The time he'd spent with the Fellowship had easily been the only time in his life where he'd felt he truly belonged. Hell, that's why he was an actor! When playing a part, he could pretend he belonged somewhere, anywhere… for a few hours. In Middle Earth, he was himself… but a better version of himself. He could be chivalrous and heroic with fear of being laughed at. His archaic interest in swordplay, archery, and horsemanship were appreciated, as was his familiarity with a variety of Middle Earth creatures and their habits. Being an AD&D player had paid off big time.  
  
Truth be told, he wanted to go back with them… but how could he tell that to Gandalf? 


	4. And why should I tell her this..?

Songs of the Elves  
  
  
  
By Marie Noire  
  
With apologies to J.R.R. Tolkien!  
  
And why should I tell her this?  
  
A stranger I just met  
  
A woman who I hardly know at all  
  
And should forget  
  
A journey we can only dream of  
  
Enchantment passing through  
  
And how is it I say these things  
  
So easily to you?  
  
- Aida  
  
The Fellowship came to slowly, for even Gandalf opted for a long-overdue nap during the four-hour journey from New York City to Ocean City. The sudden stop of the motor and the smell of salty sea air combined and served to wake everyone gently, but without much prodding from Jason.  
  
He slid out of the van with a smile at the sight of Katie's black Beetle car already parked in the driveway. "This is it… the Glouster family summer home. It's a Victorian… built about a hundred years ago. Not very old for you guys, but in this country it's pretty old."  
  
Legolas paused behind the others, looking about his shoulders anxiously as the wind played with his long hair. "That heavy scent on the air… what is it?"  
  
Jason turned. "Ocean air… it's salty… kinda refreshing if you ask me. The beach is about one street that way, so it's pretty strong on the inland wind."  
  
That said, Jason sprang up the porch steps and knocked on the door. The beat was followed by a sharp succession of high-pitched growls and yips. The hobbits took a step back fearfully.  
  
"What in Valar's name is this noise?" Legolas grimaced, instinctively covering his sensitive ears.  
  
"That… would be the watchdog." Jason sighed.  
  
The door opened a creak and out sprinted a tiny, rat-like creature about the size of a Mirkwood squirrel. It growled and barked and headed straight for Jason's shoe where it proceeded to dig its needle-like teeth into the toe, apparently convinced that it was a ferocious creature far larger than it actually was.  
  
"That… is the watchdog?" Aragorn pointed at the tiny black and tan thing, trying desperately not to laugh.  
  
"'Fraid so." Jason nodded, picking up the miniscule excuse for a dog. "Meet Maximus Decimus the Spaniard… Katie's min pin and guard dog."  
  
"That is no dog…" Gimli sneered. "It looks more like a-"  
  
"Say 'rat' and will you knock you all the way back to New York City." Came a female voice from the doorway. Everyone looked towards the willowy female in surprise; Jason smiled and hugged her instantly.  
  
"Katie, love! Great to see you! It's been since Christmas! You look wonderful!" he grinned, handing her back the now-growling Maximus.  
  
"Kiss up. I look exactly the same as I did at Christmas and you know it. Now get inside the house and introduce me to your escapees from a Renaissance Faire." She granted him only a half-smile.  
  
"Sure thing. C'mon in, everyone." Jason nodded, ushering the Fellowship past Katie and into the parlor. To her credit, Katie remained unflinching as the Fellowship and their stunning array of weaponry and species diversity swept past her. She only gave Jason an odd look when the somewhat smaller members of the company came into view.  
  
"Munchkins?" she added under her breath. "Wrong show, Jay."  
  
"Um… hobbits actually… and one dwarf… an Elvish archer… two human warriors… and an Istari wizard." Jason amended sheepishly once they had all sat down in the living room, where Maximus was growling at Legolas' boot ferociously.  
  
"Gee… where's the partridge and the pear tree?" she quipped. "Tea anyone? If you're overage, I can offer some wine coolers too. Jason, make yourself useful and go finish putting the groceries away for me."  
  
"Um… it might be better if I stay and explain all of this. Guys… this is Katrina Marie Glouster, my cousin and best friend. Katie… this is, from right to left, Gandalf, Frodo, Aragorn, Boromir, Samwise, Merry, Pippin, Gimli, and Legolas… um the Fellowship… of the Ring?" he ended on a question.  
  
"The Fellowship of the Ring?" Katie repeated. "Oh I get it… Jay, you promised no more role-playing! Last year you kept me awake until dawn! And I don't remember there even being any Tolkien role-playing games. Although I give you major snaps for finding hobbit-sized people. Not to mention getting them to dress up like that." She paused to look Gimli up and down as he glared at her in his usual manner. "Nice chain-mail, shortie… would you all mind depositing your weapons of mass destruction somewhere else?"  
  
Jason laughed nervously. "Right! Um… hand up the swords and knives and staffs and axes… anything with a blade on it. Legolas… the bow, please?"  
  
Most of them handed over their weapons with little more than an uncertain look towards Gandalf. Gimli proved to be a challenge, but he eventually relinquished his battle-axe, refusing to give up his little hatchet. Legolas handed over his daggers without a struggle… his bow however, was another story.  
  
"C'mon, Legolas… you won't need it, I promise." Jason pleaded, fully aware of Katie's thinning patience.  
  
"No." Legolas said flatly. "Do not make promises you cannot possibly keep, Jaycen. If we are attacked, I will need it."  
  
"We won't be attacked! I told you there are no goblins, orcs, wargs, none of that! The most dangerous thing that could come through that door is the pizza delivery guy!" Jason insisted.  
  
"Jay, you're speaking another language again." Katie patted his shoulder before approaching the elf. Her expression was mild enough, but the fire blazing in her blue eyes almost made Legolas take a step backwards.  
  
"Listen, Vulcan-boy… this is my family's house and what I say, goes. So either you give me the archery set or I snag that bow from you the first chance I get and knock you over the head with it several times in rapid succession. Now hand it over."  
  
Legolas swallowed imperceptibly. How dare this puny mortal female order him about? And how on earth could her face be so gentle while issuing such threats? He was uncomfortably reminded of his father's description of Galadriel, the Lady of the Wood, and thought it might be best to humor her for now.  
  
He frowned in displeasure and slung his quiver from his shoulder. "Take them… if only so we are spared the noise of your harpy-like screeching." He muttered softly.  
  
She heard him and her eyes narrowed as she flung his beloved weapons into her closet with more force than was absolutely necessary. Legolas winced internally, hoping she hadn't snapped the cord… he only had two spares left with him.  
  
"Katie, dear-heart, favoritest cousin of mine…" Jason pulled her from the closet and sat her down in an armchair. "Sit down… I have some explaining to do."  
  
"That's the understatement of the Millennium. Can we start with why I am entertaining nine wackos who apparently think they actually are the Fellowship of the Ring?" Katie sighed.  
  
"Well… they are the Fellowship." Jason, already flustered, blurted it out. "Look, you read the Lord of the Rings trilogy, right?"  
  
"Yeah… like thirteen years ago… and you never read them at all."  
  
Okay… different approach… do you remember physics class from college?"  
  
"Jay… there's a reason I took dummy science… cut to the chase." Katie mumbled.  
  
"Okay, okay… these are not some weirdos… or even just really good method actors. They are the Fellowship… just as Tolkien wrote about them."  
  
"Jason…" she sighed. "What the hell kind of an explanation is that?"  
  
"The true one, Katrina." Gandalf spoke, rising to approach her. "It is, you must admit, somewhat vain to think that yours is the only reality there is. As a writer of your world once wrote 'there are more things in heaven and earth than can be dreamt of in your philosophies'."  
  
"Um… Gandalf, right?" she bit her bottom lip. "You're trying to tell me that Tolkien's books… are true?"  
  
"From a certain angle. It is a rare occurrence when the powers that separate dimensions have small snafus, as you term them… but not impossible. John Tolkien may have been one of the few in your realm to have a version of second sight… but into our world and not his own. What would have been prophecy to us… was no more than creative inspiration to him. It's not the first time such a thing has happened… just never before on such a grand scale." Gandalf explained while Katie stared at her hands.  
  
"Holy… you're not pulling my leg. But how, if it's so rare to even glimpse other places… how did you all get here?" she asked, finally convinced.  
  
Gandalf grinned. "Valar's wisdom. When we were under attack on our journey, I summoned a distraction, expecting something more along the lines of a sudden firework or the like… instead, we received your rather fanciful cousin plopping into out midst."  
  
Jason grinned sheepishly. "That's me… one big distraction."  
  
"Especially when one lands on a Ringwraith's head." Merry piped up cheerfully.  
  
"Okay… but how did you get here? I'm pretty sure New Jersey Transit doesn't offer service to the Greater Middle Earth area." Katie asked, succumbing to the now-raging fascination.  
  
"I cast another open-ended spell asking Valar to hide us someplace where Sauron's forces could never find us. Thus we were delivered here." Gandalf smiled.  
  
"Valar must have one hell of a sense of humor." Katie smiled in return.  
  
"I've often had that very same thought myself." Gandalf nodded. "So now we are taking our opportunities to rest and recuperate, thanks to your sweet hospitality, Miss Katrina."  
  
Katie sighed, but smiled nonetheless. "You know… it's a damn good thing this place has eight bedrooms. We're going to need every single one."  
  
"Katie!" Jason yelled happily, sweeping her up into a twirling hug. "You wonderful, darling, little elf of a cousin of mine!"  
  
She laughed. "Put me down, you great ogre… you have errands to run before it gets too late."  
  
"Anything!"  
  
"More groceries for one, since I didn't expect to be feeding nine when I left this morning. And six more sets of sheets. Go to the Target in the middle of town… down Park Place." She instructed him. "King-size… get light cotton if you can. Ask for Babs, she's the manager and tell her they're for me… she'll give you a discount. Got it?"  
  
Sir, yes, sir!" Jason saluted before goose-stepping out the door.  
  
"Funny, Jay… don't be too long!" she yelled as he skidded out to door, leaving her to fend for herself. She turned and addressed them all with a definite blush to her cheeks. "So… let me get those drinks? Is everyone overage, because I definitely need something stronger than tea for this one."  
  
"Overage?" Legolas repeated.  
  
"Yeah… you have to be over the age of twenty-one to legally drink anything alcoholic in this country." She nodded.  
  
Gandalf chuckled to himself. "Miss Katrina, I can assure you that we are all vastly overage… Legolas alone is over 2500 years old."  
  
Katie promptly dropped her jaw to the ground. "Christ… how long do you guys live for?"  
  
Gandalf smiled at her. "Humans in Middle Earth live for roughly fifty years or so, hobbits eighty or so, dwarves commonly live to see two-hundred and fifty… elves on the other hand are immortal so long as they are not slain."  
  
"Holy Mary… immortal… and fair. Sounds as though you got the long end of the stick there, Legolas." She whistled, collecting her thoughts. "You don't look a day over twenty-five."  
  
"I am very many days past twenty-five, Lady Katrina."  
  
"Please… all of you… don't call me Katrina. The only person who calls me Katrina is my mother and that's usually right before she's about to launch into a tirade at me. Kate will do." She smiled a bit nervously.  
  
Luckily, she managed to keep her wits about her long enough to serve drinks and a bowl of pretzels to the always-hungry Pippin and Merry. For pure noise value, she switched the television on to a music channel and couldn't help but giggle over everyone's startled reaction to the box with moving pictures in it. Only Gandalf and Legolas seemed at all adept at hiding their certain unease. She sensed that for Gandalf, this was old hat… but Legolas was just being stubborn.  
  
"Here now… Maximus, leave him alone." She scolded her little dog as he once more gave a warning series of barks at Legolas' boot.  
  
"I do not think that this creature likes me very much." Legolas commented in mild irritation, his ears buzzed with every high-pitched yap the dog made.  
  
"Well… he's never smelled elf before… apparently he thinks you're a threat." She explained by way of apology as she shooed Maximus into his crate. That done, she sighed and sat on the low table across from the blonde elf. "Look… I know I seemed a bit hostile earlier. I didn't mean to be… and I'm sorry."  
  
"Sorry?" he repeated with a skeptical look. "Whatever for?"  
  
"For… well… for being a bitch. I'm not a big fan of weapons and I think your stubbornness to give the bow up irked me a bit. If I snapped the bow string, I'll replace it, I promise." She sighed.  
  
His expression softened somewhat. "That will not be necessary, although I do thank you for your offer."  
  
"So…" she breathed, searching for a new subject, not quite sure why she wanted to continue talking with the strange elf. "What do you think of… this place, so far?"  
  
"It is… very different from Middle Earth."  
  
"So I hear. But different isn't bad, is it?"  
  
"Not at all… however, I have not yet seen any great deal of your world. As of right now it is… a rather confusing and alarming place. These transports that rumble and shriek… the great silver dragons overhead…"  
  
"I hope you're referring to airplanes…" she smiled.  
  
"I believe that is what Jaycen called it, yes." He nodded. "So quick and… hurried. In my short time here, I saw not one person slowing down to look at anything."  
  
"I agree… we are a very rushed society. But we only live for seventy years… we have a lot to get done in the short span of time, don't you think?" she shrugged.  
  
"I suppose." He met her eyes, tilting his head at her in a studying manner.  
  
"What?" she asked, aware of his scrutiny.  
  
"I have never seen a mortal like you before… the color of your hair is… strange to me." He noted.  
  
"Red? But Gimli has red hair." She pointed out.  
  
"His is rusty, like one of his old axes… your hair is lighter, like rays of a sunset. I have never seen such a color before. I think it suits you." He commented, his voice serious.  
  
"Well… thank you." She blushed yet again. 


	5. The monsters are all missing...

Songs of the Elves  
  
  
  
By Marie Noire  
  
With apologies to J.R.R. Tolkien!  
  
The monsters are all missing  
  
And the nightmares can't be found  
  
And in their place there seems to be  
  
Good feelings all around  
  
Instead of screams  
  
I swear I can hear music in the air  
  
The smell of cakes and pies  
  
Are absolutely everywhere  
  
- Nightmare Before Christmas  
  
Jay, upon his return to the shore house, was pleased to find everyone on the ample wrap-around porch, talking cheerfully enough. Katie, as always, had felt the need to lug her entire sound system to Ocean City with her. Apparently, she had decided to hook the thing up and was now enthralling the group with modern earth music. Even now, he could hear the strains of "Masquerade" on the salt-laden air. It was Katie's favorite show, after all.  
  
From the looks of things, she was giving the Fellowship an in-depth play-by- play of the entire musical. He smiled as his favorite cousin did an astonishingly good pantomime of "Why So Silent...". She had always possessed the same spark of melodrama that he had… ever since they were children forced to take piano and singing lessons. Within that practical, no-nonsense exterior beat the heart of an actress. Only she lacked the conviction to disappoint the family in favor of her dreams.  
  
Adventure and security were both things that Katie craved… unfortunately they did not mesh well at all.  
  
"Katie… you do that almost better than I do." He called as he came up the walkway.  
  
She flushed pink, a color that benefited from her now loose auburn hair. "Thanks… I think. I was just explaining your show to these guys. Boromir made the mistake of asking what you do for a living."  
  
"Ahem… I'm an actor." Jason nodded.  
  
"So we've heard. A sort of minstrel… only you do not wander like one of ours might." Aragorn replied.  
  
"If going from here to Middle Earth in the midst of a drunken stupor isn't wandering, I don't know what is." Jason smiled.  
  
"I think I like this… musical… of yours, Jaycen. There are deeper forces at work here than mere entertainment." Legolas, the most artistically inclined of any of them commented, his sharp ears attuned to the music. "I've never heard such a tale… a love story that ends in such a way…"  
  
"Yeah…" Jason sighed. "It would probably kill an elf to be betrayed and abandoned like that… but then again, elves are beautiful by their very definition… so no elf would ever have to endure the sort of life that the very mortal Phantom did."  
  
"Perhaps… now, what does your cousin do to earn her keep?" Legolas asked.  
  
"Me?" Katie said. "Oh, nothing nearly as interesting as Jay. I'm just a secretary for a little medical office."  
  
"Secretary? Is that something like a scribe?" Frodo asked.  
  
"Something like that… I set up appointments for Dr. Jacobs and do the billing. Answer the phones… do very minor nursing duties if everyone else is busy… things like that." She shrugged.  
  
"Billing?" Legolas repeated. "Doctors charge fees for their services in this place?"  
  
"Of course." Katie replied, confused as to the dark look that passed over the elf's face.  
  
"Barbaric world…" he mumbled.  
  
Jason stepped in this time. "It's not the same here, Legolas. Our doctors aren't born with their healing gifts. They have to study for many years and at great expense. And some doctors perform operations that would be considered downright miraculous even in Elvish medicine."  
  
"Such as?"  
  
"Well… like replacing sections of your heart with synthetic parts… reattaching a severed limb… using beams of light to correct failing vision…" Katie supplied.  
  
Legolas had the good grace to look at least mildly impressed at such feats, but said nothing. 


	6. She dances naked in my soul and sleep wo...

Songs of the Elves  
  
  
  
By Marie Noire  
  
With apologies to J.R.R. Tolkien!  
  
She dances naked in my soul and sleep won't come  
  
And it's no use to pray these prayers to Notre Dame  
  
Tell, who'd be the first to raise a hand and throw a stone  
  
I'd hang him high and laugh to see him die alone  
  
Oh Lucifer, please let me go beyond God's law  
  
And run my fingers through her hair  
  
Esmeralda  
  
- Notre Dame de Paris  
  
That night, Jason took it upon himself to check on each member of the company before claiming his own rest. The four hobbits had all agreed to share one room, since the king-sized bed offered more than enough room for a quartet of halflings. Gandalf and Aragorn were still awake and in the midst of a rather intense chess game. Gimli, who Maximus had developed a sudden fascination for, was dead asleep. The tiny min pin had curled up on Gimli's beard, unaffected by the dwarf's resounding snores. Boromir waited down the hall for him, but Jay resisted the urge to go straight to him, even under the temptation of one night not spent lying on the ground. Legolas was still awake after all, and Jason knocked on the door lightly.  
  
"Come." Legolas replied in his usual manner, a tone befitting his position as an Elvish princeling.  
  
"Hey… just me. Wanted to make sure you were settled in all right." Jason finished his sentence before realizing that the room was empty. "Legolas? Where are you?"  
  
"Out here." He called from the balcony, where the gentle breezes rocked the glass doors back and forth.  
  
Jason went out to meet him. "A bit chilly out here." He commented, noting the elf's ever-watchful stance. "Legolas, rest. Nothing will happen to us here… there's no need for you to stand guard over the backyard."  
  
"I know… I am merely pausing… to reflect." The elf shrugged gracefully.  
  
"Reflect? On what? If you don't mind me asking, that is."  
  
A brief silence. "Everything. I left Mirkwood expecting to attend a council, cast a vote, and return home. Now suddenly I am a part of a quest… to save our world as we know it."  
  
"You seemed to be taking everything in stride before… hell, you're more of a warrior than I can ever hope to be. I've seen you all fight and you're all amazing… you and your bow especially. You'll make it, I know." Jason tried to sound upbeat.  
  
"I do not know… Ringwraiths and orcs are only the beginning… we were not even yet close to Mordor. If not for Gandalf's quick thinking… we might all have been drowned by the squid outside of Moria. And if we fail… Middle Earth will fall into Dark Years again… and this time it may not be able to struggle out." He sighed.  
  
"Look… it may not seem like it… but I know how it feels. Less than a year ago… my city was attacked… passenger planes were flown into the two towers that were the very symbol of the city. Those towers fell… thousands of my people died… and I was there." Jason paused, unsure if he could continue. "Katie and I both were… she was visiting New York for a week… we were supposed to go to the towers for lunch. The planes hit in the morning… we were covered head to foot in dust… we had no idea what was happening. Now all I can think about is… why us? Why were we spared when so many others were not? People far more noble then I am died that day… policemen, firefighters… why was one actor spared?"  
  
Legolas kept his gaze fixed on the winking streetlights. "And what possessed me to offer my bow in Frodo's service? It was as if my will had a mind of its own… me, representing the Elves on this impossible quest? One false step and I could very well doom everyone… there are older, wiser elves who would have taken this honor… why did I?"  
  
"Because, just like Frodo was fated to be the Ring-Bearer… you were fated to accompany him… just as I was, for some as yet unknown reason, fated to live through September 11th." Jason clapped him on the back. "Personally, I can't think of any better elf for the job."  
  
Legolas finally gave a slight smile. "Jaycen… I am the only elf you've ever met."  
  
"I never said I wasn't biased." Jason shrugged. "Anything else bothering you, since I seem to be a plethora of philosophic advice tonight?"  
  
The smile remained. "Your cousin… she seems a bit…"  
  
"Jumpy?"  
  
"I was going to say self-conscious, but jumpy will serve. Is she always in such a state?"  
  
With another sigh, Jason sat on the balcony ledge. "No… when we were children, she was exactly like me… kinda goofy, creative, saw everything with a little imagination. But, you see… she and I are a bit hop-out-of- kin… he rest of the family… they're practical and cozy and, well… boring. I went way out on a limb when I left law school to become an actor… big disappointment and all that. Katie would love to be a writer, I know… but she's afraid our family will not be able to take the idea of two complete disgraces."  
  
"Family should be built on love… not expectations." Legolas said softly.  
  
"I know that and you know that… but just try telling Katie that." Jason sighed. "I dunno, though… she was jumpier than normal tonight… like she's under some sort of pressure."  
  
He noted the elf's concentration on the floor and grinned. "You like her, don't you?"  
  
"Excuse me?" Legolas finally looked up.  
  
"Katie… you like her."  
  
"She is your cousin and you are my friend… of course I shall endeavor to like her."  
  
"No, that's not what I meant. Even if she weren't related to me… you'd like her." Jason smiled.  
  
"What are you getting at, Jaycen?" Legolas frowned.  
  
A more smug smile. "Not that I blame you… Katrina's a pretty girl… and fiery as all get-out. And she's got the form of an elf… all she's missing is the pointy ears."  
  
"There is no such thing as an elf with red hair… only halflings and dwarves have hair that shade." Legolas commented dryly.  
  
"Ah… so now she's an unusual beauty as well… always seemed a little all- American to me… but then again, you aren't an American, so she would seem exotic to you." Jason mused aloud.  
  
"You are putting words into my mouth, Jaycen, and I will ask you to stop. Now is not the time for clumsy matchmaking. I like Katrina no more than I would like any other gracious hostess and kin of yours. Am I clear on this?" Legolas glared at him.  
  
"Whatever you say, master-elf." Jason shrugged nonchalantly as she slid from the railing and headed back through the room. "I'll call you for breakfast… but you'll most likely already be up anyway. Night!"  
  
"May the stars shine kindly upon your rest, Jaycen… good night." He replied, his voice once more soft.  
  
Jaycen was entirely too close to the truth and Legolas did not like it one bit. The conversation he had had with her that afternoon was a prime example. While the actual words had been chaste, as they should have been between two newly introduced friends… Legolas knew the heat that spread through him was not a result of the New Jersey summer. It was simply not seemly for a full-grown elf to be experiencing the same attitude regarding a pretty female that he had over two thousand years ago. She was a pretty girl, nothing more… he had taken many lovers over the years, both male and female, elf and human… but rarely had he allowed his heart to come into play. He was not cold-hearted by any means… but he made no promises that he may have to break… he had never bound himself to anyone for the simple reason that he had not found any elf he truly wanted to spend all of immortality with. Being bound to a human was absolutely out of the question… in fact, he could not understand how Arwen could give up her immortal life for Aragorn, even though he knew full-well the human king's nobility and courage.  
  
Even if he did feel a stirring in his heart for Jaycen's cousin… she was a mortal woman. He would not give in to that trap. 


	7. Come with me now and see my world...

Songs of the Elves  
  
  
  
By Marie Noire  
  
With apologies to J.R.R. Tolkien!  
  
Come with me now, to see my world  
  
Where there's beauty beyond your dreams  
  
Can you feel the things I feel  
  
Right now, with you  
  
Take my hand  
  
There's a world I need to know  
  
- Tarzan  
  
After much beguiling, whining, threatening, and fighting, Katie and Jason managed to finagle the entire Fellowship into non-Renaissance Faire clothing. The hobbits and humans were easiest to convince… Legolas and Gimli however were an entirely different ball of wax. Gimli apparently felt that chain links were the only fashion statement he cared to make… it wasn't until Katie pointed out that under the hot summer sun the metal would heat and be extremely uncomfortable, that he relented and let them replace his armor with a shirt made of actual cloth. Legolas was merely dismayed by the lack of Elvish colors.  
  
Katie finally emerged from the racks of clothing in a local store triumphantly. "White… classic, cool… does this please His Royal Highness?"  
  
Jason snickered while Legolas simply sighed, taking the shirt from Katie. "Fine… as long as we will leave this infernal store. People are looking at me oddly."  
  
"Well they've never seen an elf before… let alone an elf with four hobbits, a wizard, and a dwarf… do you blame them?" Jason shrugged. "I'd suggest shorts, but I think you'll cut your hair before agreeing to them… so we'll skip it and let you keep your leggings there."  
  
"A well-thought-out idea, Jaycen."  
  
"So, what's our plan for the day?" Katie asked while Legolas hid in the changing room. "The Boardwalk, movies, Planet Hollywood, the beach, the midway?"  
  
"All of the above. But it's early yet… we can take our time deciding. We may have to split up a bit, but I am not leaving these little halflings to their own devices in the city." Jason said, eyeing Pippin especially.  
  
"I like that idea." Sam nodded helpfully. "What's a… boardwalk?"  
  
"OK… let's see… the Boardwalk is a city-long pier that has hundred of merchants and restaurants and things on it. It'll be quiet this time of day too. The beach doesn't open for another hour yet… we can all meet for lunch at Planet Hollywood and maybe see a movie when it gets really hot this afternoon. Then hit the midway at dusk and find some supper there. Sound good?" Katie suggested.  
  
"I like it." Jason nodded. "Let's get going before we're invaded by day- trippers."  
  
A five-minute drive to park the cars back at the house and soon they were all walking down a narrow sidewalk in the cheerfully shining sun. In the distance ahead, where a short pier rose above them, a radio station was being broadcast over the loudspeakers.  
  
"And it's Wednesday, July 3rd and if you're the smart type, you're already on the Boardwalk! Today's high will be 91 degrees with plenty of sunshine and a heat index of 98, so be sure to drink plenty of water. The current, 9 a.m. temperature is a comfy 78 with the ocean breezes cooling it off nicely. So, to start your Fourth of July weekend, here's a song from those summer favorites, The Beach Boys!" the DJ announced brightly.  
  
Jason and Katie grinned at each other and took off running for the Boardwalk. "Come on, guys! Catch up!" Jason yelled back. "Let's have some fun!"  
  
Quite possibly relieved to finally not be running from something, the Fellowship took off to follow them. When they reached the top, everyone stopped dead in their tracks. Out ahead of them beyond the wooden rails of the Boardwalk and the sandy beach was the never-ending blue of the Atlantic Ocean. Aragorn and Boromir had seen seas before, as had Gandalf no doubt… Gimli had no doubt glimpsed them from time to time… but the four Shire- protected hobbits and the forest-dwelling elf had never seen an ocean before. Frodo's hand stole immediately to the Ring, now more an instinctive gesture than one of dismay… Sam stood beside him, his mouth agape… Merry and Pippin had both broken out into scarily identical grins. Legolas remained as still as a statue, his grey eyes flicking from the rolling waves to the laughing gulls and back again, his expression unreadable.  
  
"Gentlemen… welcome to Ocean City… on the shores of the great Atlantic Ocean." Jason announced grandly.  
  
Legolas took a small step forward, then another and another until he was resting his hands on the railing of the Boardwalk, his eyes closed, letting the playful ocean air toss his braids about. Katie gave Jason a questioning glance.  
  
"What's with him?" she whispered.  
  
"He has never seen the sea." Gandalf supplied sotto voce. "To the Elves, the seas are sacred bodies leading them to the Undying Lands of the West."  
  
"Ah… I hope he's not offended by people frolicking in it a little later on." Jason nodded.  
  
"I doubt it… Elves are rather good at 'frolicking' themselves when they get right down to it." Gandalf smiled.  
  
Jason laughed while Katie spoke. "Well… everyone knows how to get back to the house if you need to, right? Both Jay and I have our cell phones on if you need help."  
  
"I think Boromir and I should stay with the hobbits." Jason volunteered. "People might mistake them for lost children after all."  
  
"I think that Aragorn, Gimli and myself can watch over ourselves." Gandalf nodded thoughtfully.  
  
"Very well… what about the elf?" Katie jerked her head to where Legolas stood, still apparently transfixed.  
  
"I'll leave him in your capable hands, Katrina. It will be productive, for both of you." Gandalf winked at her.  
  
"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked indignantly.  
  
"Whatever you wish it to, milady." Gandalf replied vaguely with a sweeping bow. "Shall we be off, gentlemen? There's an entire city here to explore."  
  
Katie watched them leave and then waited for Legolas to collect himself and realize that he was with her for the day. She fully expected him to be none too pleased with the development; after all he seemed to be a rather cold-hearted little… elf. When no collecting seemed to be happening, she approached him, hoping that she wouldn't be forced to shake him. Once his expression was revealed, her irritation fled.  
  
He was quite plainly in awe of the sight, his eyes distant and his mouth slightly open… as though he could not believe what was laid out before him. She placed a hand gently on his shoulder.  
  
"Legolas? You okay?" she asked gently when he started, surprised by her apparently sudden appearance.  
  
He paused, looking briefly at the ground before locking his gaze back with the ocean. "It's… exquisite."  
  
She smiled, somehow pleased by this sudden change in attitude from holier- than-thou to innocent splendor. "That it is… miles and miles of nothing but blue waves below and blue skies above. Makes you realize how big the world is… and how small we are by comparison. A little disconcerting… but in a good way."  
  
He nodded, before continuing in a voice that was almost a whisper. "And the sound… that gentle rhythm… I have never heard its equal, not even in the forests I love so dearly."  
  
"I can only imagine. There aren't a good deal of large forests left in this world and I've never been to one… never was the camping type." She smiled, squeezing his shoulder softly.  
  
He finally met her gaze, his grey eyes softer than before. "Then we both have missed something… I, the sound of the rushing seas… and you, the song of a rustling wind through a canopy of leaves."  
  
She nodded, suddenly wishing that she could hear the voice he so lovingly spoke of, could visit the forests of Mirkwood. "Maybe someday I'll hear those winds… but for right now, I have more important things to do."  
  
Legolas tore his eyes away from the pounding ocean. "And that is?"  
  
"Pulling you off of this dock and getting you down to the beach so we can swim in the ocean. Come on… I'll watch over you, I promise. It'll be fun." Katie pulled at his sleeve. He followed, allowing himself to be pulled with the first vague impression of a smile she'd seen in him.  
  
"I do not require watching over by a mortal." He insisted, although his tone was not completely serious. He was teasing her! "I am capable of looking after myself, Miss Kate."  
  
She nodded. "Criminey, even in different dimensions, men are all the same."  
  
"I am not a man… I am an elf." He pointed out, his smile widening.  
  
"Males then… you knew what I meant! But look, you've never been to the ocean and I have… that calm sea can be dangerous. There's a world of power in those waves." She countered him.  
  
He nodded, chastised. "Point taken. One must respect the greater powers of Nature… Elves have always known this."  
  
"And humans are just figuring it out… but enough environmentalism… let's play!" that said, she took off on the beach, skipping over the sand in her bare feet.  
  
Not to be outdone, Legolas followed, his sharper senses and quicker movements easily catching up to where she laid out two towels and began removing her blue t-shirt over her head to reveal the top half of some extremely form-fitting undergarment.  
  
"What… is that?" he asked sotto voce, hoping no one else on the beach would notice her sudden bout with exhibitionism.  
  
"Hmm?"" she paused to look at him before glancing down the green garment. "What? My swimsuit? It's just a special garment used specifically for swimming… it doesn't get heavy in the water, allows maximum freedom of movement."  
  
"And maximum freedom of… viewing." He swallowed under his breath.  
  
She laughed outright, the sound not mocking in the least. "True enough… but it's all right. This is actually quite modest by some standards. Wait until the crowds roll in, you'll see what I mean."  
  
That said she also slipped down the black garment she had called "shorts" earlier and stepped out of them, stuffing her clothes in her bag and zipping it shut. "Okay… now I would suggest you leave your shirt and boots here… since you drew the line at shorts, you'll have to swim in your leggings."  
  
"I… suppose." He took a deep breath before his nimble fingers unbuttoned the shirt. He shrugged out of it with a sigh… the hot sun did feel wondrous against his skin… especially after the long trek through the snowy winds. Elves were Children of the Light after all… the endless journey in storm-darkened mountains nearly made him ill in its lack of sunlight. Katie met his gaze and smiled approvingly.  
  
"You'll have to be careful… girls might think you're a movie star… I vote you the Elf Most Likely To Be Mistaken For Leonardo DiCaprio." She commented.  
  
"Excuse me?"  
  
"Never mind. Come on!" dashing for the ocean's edge before he could react.  
  
She was a quick little vixen when she wanted to be, he decided as he raced after her. His breath caught when he first made contact with the cool, salty water. Katie was already in waist deep, jumping up against each wave that came in. He forged ahead after her, truly surprised by the strength in each wave. Some were gentler than others, merely pushing him back playfully, as if teasing him. Others were downright forceful, nearly sending him on his back or crashing over his head and sending him to the sandy bottom before he managed to surface for some air. Still, physical difficulties aside, the water seemed to cleanse him, washing away the dirt and slime that traveling with a heavy burden had left on him. Like the others, Legolas had been fairly worked over by orcs and Ringwraiths alike. He had suffered bumps, bruises, a lash or two and one cut from an orc's blade on his arm… the healing waves rinsed him of them all. With that, his light-heartedness resurfaced… even his humor returned to its state before his father had sent him to Rivendell in his place.  
  
Finally he reached Katie's side, smiling triumphantly. "About time you got here… thought I was going to have to rescue you from the deep blue." She teased.  
  
"My dear Kate… that will be the day that goblins sprout wings and fly." He teased back, mimicking her movements so that the next strong waves did not knock him down.  
  
"Don't be so sure, elf." She winked at him before ducking suddenly. Legolas spent a split second confused before a wave larger than any of the others collided into him, sending him under the salty water. For a moment, his feet could not touch the ocean floor and he feared he would be at the mercy of the sea. The sandy bottom came up to meet him fast, rattling him somewhat as he gasped above the surface for air.  
  
The sound of Katie's laughter greeted him. "So much for Elivsh grace, hmm?" she teased, swimming over to him. "You can't hop over waves that big… you have to go under them if you don't want to be swept out."  
  
"So I… find out… a bit too… late…" he coughed, deciding that drinking seawater was not the best idea he had ever had.  
  
It was not long before they were joined by Jason and the four hobbits, laughing and shouting as Pip nearly drowned himself and Merry at least twice. Frodo's eyes no longer held the loneliness they had harbored since the One Ring had found its way into his hand. Although it still hung securely around his neck, it seemed to have lost its hold over his heart while far from the influence of Sauron. Sam laughed and, although he never went further in than his waist, made a great show of dragging himself back to the beach and lying in a heap as though dead. Jason chased Katie in and out of the surf, threatening to "dunk" her if he caught her. Soon Aragorn and Gandalf appeared, preferring to watch from the sandy shores as the others made fools of themselves. Borormir found himself all but thrown in when Jason, Katie, Legolas, and all four hobbits ganged up on him. Gimli, blisteringly hot under his long hair and beard was not too difficult to convince into the water, although he was a surprisingly strong swimmer, venturing out further than even the seasoned shore-goers would and calling them cowards from the safety of deep waters.  
  
"Gotcha!" Jason crowed triumphantly as he managed to jump on Katie in a moment of vulnerability. She let out a high-pitched shriek as he forced her underwater. Her hands flailed about and splashed the salty water everywhere before Jason yelled out in pain and let go.  
  
"Ow! Little brat! You kicked me!"  
  
But Katie did not surface, and in the dark water, they could not see her. Legolas stopped all playing, searching the silty blue in vain. A sudden splash and Katie emerged like a water nymph, knocking her cousin down into the surf. Her hair was sopping wet and her skin a brilliant white in the dazzling summer sun… Legolas' breath almost caught. For a split second, he almost thought her to be an immortal… she possessed the same natural grace and playful nature of a young elf… the same innocent beauty.  
  
He caught himself and inwardly groaned… what was he thinking? He had a mission to accomplish… to see the One Ring and its bearer safely to Mordor and destroy it. This coastal resting place was merely another stop on the way. He could not afford to get caught up emotionally with anyone or anything on this quest. And even if he was not currently preoccupied with the possible downfall of his entire world… Katrina was a mortal… and there was no more certain way to a broken heart than to care for a mortal. And for him… that made her a most dangerous liaison. 


	8. In my life, there's been no one like him...

Songs of the Elves  
  
  
  
By Marie Noire  
  
With apologies to J.R.R. Tolkien!  
  
In my life  
  
There's been no one like him anywhere  
  
Anywhere, where he's been  
  
If he asked, I'd be his  
  
In my life  
  
There is someone who touches my life  
  
Waiting near  
  
Waiting here  
  
- Les Miserables  
  
Katie smiled at her sleepy-faced cousin as he made his way through the house and onto the porch early the next morning, yawning and scratching his head. She pushed a cup of strong coffee towards him as he sat in the wicker rocker across from her.  
  
"Late night?" she asked.  
  
"A bit." He nodded, stretching.  
  
"I thought I heard footsteps from your room… couldn't you sleep?" she asked, her eyes perusing the morning paper with only vague interest.  
  
"I slept rather well actually." Jason smiled.  
  
"Then what were you doing roaming the hall at two o'clock… for the second morning in a row, I might add?"  
  
"Going to Boromir's room." He confessed in a whisper.  
  
"What were you doing with Boromir at-" she glanced up and saw his expression… comprehension dawned. "Oh… that. You amaze me, Jason. You travel to a completely different dimension and you still manage to snag yourself a lover. How do you do it?"  
  
"Charm, my dear cuz… it's all about charm."  
  
"I didn't even think Boromir swung that way… he always seemed so… traditional."  
  
Jason shrugged. "It's a different world, Katie… things aren't so structured. Granted, he and I weren't exactly announcing our attraction… I don't even think anyone else knows."  
  
"Why Boromir? I would think that… well… that Legolas was more to your tastes." She asked.  
  
Jason grinned. "Well… Aragorn is sort of taken. Anyone under the height of four feet is a little weird for me so far, although Frodo is just ridiculously adorable at times. Legolas… well I might have been able to capture his attention once… but I think he's got his sights set elsewhere."  
  
"Oh really? Does he have some lady elf awaiting him in Kirkwood?"  
  
"Mirkwood. And no… but he's been rather distracted since… well, since we got here. Someone else seems to have snagged his attention."  
  
"Who?" she asked innocently. "The blonde in the pink bikini he nearly crashed into yesterday?"  
  
Jason resisted the urge to bang his head on the table. "No… you, Kate."  
  
"Me?" she all but squeaked. "Why on earth would he be interested in me?"  
  
"Hey… if I swung that way and you weren't my cousin… I'd be interested." Jason spread his hands in a grand gesture. "You're damn cute, cuz."  
  
"Cute maybe… but I'm pretty sure that little elf maidens are a far better choice for him than me." She scoffed.  
  
Jason met her denial with a mild shrug. "Whatever you say, cuz… but just so you don't panic, I will tell you a secret."  
  
"What sort of secret?" Kate leaned in conspiratorially.  
  
"Boromir and I… well… this is not one of my flings that I have just to piss off the 'rents. We love each other." Jason whispered.  
  
"Jay… are you sure this is a good idea? I mean, what are you going to do when Gandalf takes everyone back?" she asked, resting one hand over his in concern and using the other to push back a strand of his dark hair.  
  
"Well… I was going to… go with them." Jason suggested uneasily.  
  
"Go with them? Jay, you can't go with them! You belong here!" she shook her head.  
  
"No. No, I don't, Katie. I never belonged here… and you know it." Jay contended quietly. "You… you never really belonged here either… maybe you should come with us too."  
  
"Jay… as much fun as a dangerous and impossible quest may sound… no. I'm not out to make that large a decision… at least not yet." She shivered.  
  
"Katie… you know I wouldn't suggest it for you if I didn't think it would be for the best."  
  
"I know… that's what scares me." 


	9. I'm going out tonight...

Songs of the Elves  
  
By Marie Noire  
  
With apologies to J.R.R. Tolkien!  
  
I'm going out tonight  
  
I'm feeling all right  
  
Gonna let it all hang out  
  
Wanna make some noise  
  
Really raise my voice  
  
Yeah, I wanna scream and shout  
  
- Shania Twain  
  
  
  
The bustling, boisterous midway was their after-dark activity that night; carnival rides, bright flashing lights, and random games of chance. Katie had allowed Jason to pick out clothing for her, knowing fully well that her well-meaning cousin was trying to truss her up in order to get Legolas to trip on his tongue. It was an event that she would've paid money to see.  
  
A pair of form-fitting blue jeans, a black tank top, and a pair of black riding boots later, Jason was satisfied, kissing his fingers like an Italian chef who had just created a masterpiece. She drew the line at make- up, swaying him only when she mentioned that the heat would only melt the colors away in an hour or so. He grumbled over her hair-do of choice, which was a high ponytail… but allowed her to leave the room at last.  
  
The midway was alive with fireworks that night, the evening of Independence Day, and Katie was eager to explore the pier. Her excitement must have been infectious, for the rest of the company smiled and laughed and seemed to truly be enjoying themselves in their strange surroundings. Merry had developed an uncanny knack for the basketball free-throws and was winning tickets like there was no tomorrow. Jason and Pippin somehow talked Boromir into riding a roller coaster and the poor Gondorian came back grumbling obscenities at the "fool of a Took".  
  
"Kate… what is that?" Legolas asked, pointing at a large building purposely decorated with brightly-colored graffiti.  
  
"That… is the skate park. Hey Jay!" she flagged down her cousin. "What say we show these Middle Earthlings how we get around?"  
  
Jay took on look at the skate park and broke into a wide, very evil grin. "What's your poison, cuz? Blades? Bike? Or board?"  
  
"I'll take blades… you?"  
  
"Board."  
  
"Let's lock and load, little girl."  
  
Needless to say, these were sports that completely threw the Fellowship for a loop. People swooping up and down over a sharply curved floor, weaving in and out between pillars and each other, using stair rails and edges to perform various tricks. Jason and Katie were not acrobats by any means and did not do aerial stunts, but just being able to stay upright while on wheels seemed to impress them. Katie sped all over the place on her rented roller blades, teasing Legolas with each pass.  
  
It was some time before they gave up trying to convince anyone onto the skate floor, but they did spend a good hour showing off for them, Jason in particular. Katie figured he was desperately trying to impress Boromir regardless of the fact that they were already lovers. Boromir was discreet in watching her cousin… but watch he did, his eyes warm as they followed Jason up, over, and across the entire place.  
  
She smiled… even if it seemed just a little doomed… it was good to see Jason with someone like the Gondorian. Boromir did not seem to be a player… his interests were genuine. And he wasn't bad on the eyes either.  
  
Of course… Legolas took the cake where being nice on the eyes was concerned. A fact she was heavily reminded of when she sat next to him to remove her blades.  
  
"Not bad, huh? Bet you don't see that in Mirkwood… or anywhere else in Middle Earth for that matter." She smiled at him.  
  
He shook his head. "You would be quite correct on that account, Kate."  
  
"Hey, I know what to do next!" she suddenly thought. "Jay! Is that recreation place still around the one with Hood's in it?"  
  
"That it is." Jason nodded. "You want to play paint ball tag now? Or are you just itching to show off some more?"  
  
"Oh stuff it, Phantom. You guys will like this." She scolded him as they walked out onto the midway once more.  
  
Jason leaned down and whispered to her. "Oh I get it… you want him to show off for you! You little vixen… I knew I liked you for a reason!"  
  
"Ix-nay on the owing-off-shay." She mumbled.  
  
Hood's was revealed to be a structure devoted to two activities paintball for one… and archery for the other. It wasn't nearly as crowded as the rest of the midway and Katie grinned when she noticed everyone's faces light up.  
  
"I little taste of the familiar… although I don't think our bows will be quite as good." She announced, striding over to an empty lane and picking up a bow that was clearly too big for her. She with a humph, she put it on a rack and retrieved a much smaller one along with several arrows.  
  
"Katie?" Jason asked. "What are you doing?"  
  
Katie looked up from strapping on the leather guards. "I'm going to shoot… what's it look like?"  
  
"But you don't know how to use that thing." Jason pointed out.  
  
"Says you. Remember camp? While you were off sneaking away to neck with Janice behind the mess hall, I actually attended archery class." She smiled. "It's been a while… but I bet I can still hit the target… or at least get close to it."  
  
"Seagulls are running in fear, Katie." Jason teased.  
  
"You know… as close as you are to me right now… even a blind person could shoot you. Now get out of my aiming space." She demanded sweetly.  
  
Jason took a few steps away as Katie notched an arrow in place and slowly took aim. The arrow sang through the air and hit the target with a thud. Not on the bull's-eye… but not far from it either. Her next arrow was maybe slightly closer, but it was clear that this was from being out-of- practice.  
  
"Katrina Marie… you little Robin Hood!" Jason grinned.  
  
She shrugged. "A little off-mark and woefully slow… but not bad for someone who hasn't so much as held a bow for about ten years, eh? You want to show us how it's done, elf?"  
  
A smile from Legolas as he strode over, selecting a different bow, his brow furrowing as he picked it up. "What is this made out of?"  
  
"Plastic and synthetic wood most likely… so they don't break as easily." She explained. "Like I said, not as good as your bow is… but we don't have to use them to defend ourselves either."  
  
He nodded and lined himself up in the line, taking aim at the target. Without so much as a pause between arrows, he shoot off three, each one striking the center of the target with surgical precision. Every head on the gallery turned his way, jaws agape.  
  
"Damn…" the owner of the center commented from his counter. "You one of them SCA people or something, kid?"  
  
"Excuse me?" Legolas turned.  
  
Katie stepped in. "Shows doesn't it? You should see him do that at moving targets. How much for a paintball session?"  
  
The owner smiled. "Just cause it's slow and that was damn impressive… twenty bucks."  
  
"Cool." Katie grinned forking over the money. "Let's suit up, gentlemen."  
  
Late that night, it was a very tired, but very happy set of Middle Earthlings that returned to the shore house… weary, a little bruised and a lot paint-splattered, but pleased. The Battle of Ocean City (as Jason had dubbed it) had finally given the Fellowship a chance to play around and fight with each other without the nagging feeling of orcs or Ringwraiths nearby. They had divided into two teams; Aragorn, Jason, Legolas, Merry, and Pippin on one side and Katie, Boromir, Frodo, Sam, and Gimli on the other… Gandalf had opted to "referee" the skirmish. No one knew who exactly won the battle since everyone had paint on them by the end. Katie had managed to hit Legolas on the back of the head with a particularly bright shade of blue… in turn he had pelted her with yellow paint balls until she looked like Big Bird. Gimli complained only marginally that he had purple paint drying in his beard. Jason looked like he'd shot his eye out what with all of the red paint on his face. The hobbits were a rather colorful foursome with multicolored streaks every where. Aragorn and Boromir both had green splats on their backs from Jason's gun. Gandalf had to be the most colorful, since everyone had turned on him by the end, a splendid array of rainbow colors bloomed all over his clothes and beard.  
  
Now, everyone was starting to settle down, the activities of the day catching up with them at last. Most everyone had already gone to bed except for Katie, Jason, Legolas, and Boromir. The four of them sat in the parlor sharing a bottle of Arbor Mist and telling stories. Jason recounted the time that he and Katie had gotten lost in New York City once and were rescued by a cab driver. Katie told of how, when they were children, Jason had figured out how to draw on the ceiling, much to his mother's chagrin. Boromir described Minas Tirith and the brighter points of Gondor's history. Legolas imparted tales of his childhood in Mirkwood, of grand festivals and serene ceremonies common only to the Elves.  
  
"It is late." Boromir said at last, standing up and stretching. "I think I shall take myself off to bed."  
  
"Night." Katie smiled, noting that Jason bit his lip in an anxious fashion.  
  
The Gondorian headed up the stairs quickly and an easy silence settled over the remaining three, broken only by Jason sighing.  
  
"Oh go on, Jay…" Katie punched his arm teasingly. "Don't keep him waiting."  
  
Jay flushed but got up anyway, throwing her a grin over his shoulder as he followed Boromir's path. "Goodnight, Katie… Legolas."  
  
Legolas' brow furrowed. "He and… Boromir..?"  
  
"Mm-hmm." Kate nodded around a sip of wine. "Jason's gay… apparently Boromir is as well, or at least bi."  
  
He gave her a strange look. "Gay? Bi? I do not understand."  
  
"Gay means you're a homosexual… you're attracted to those who are the same sex as you. Bi is just short for bisexual, meaning that both sexes hold equal appeal to you. According to Jason, they don't carry the same stigma in your world as they do here sometimes." She explained.  
  
"I cannot speak for the other races of Middle Earth. But the Elves have never put such restrictions on themselves." Legolas shrugged gracefully. "I have known both males and females and never thought that out of the ordinary."  
  
She nodded. "Humans are generally a little bit more rigid in their supposed normalcy. And it's worse for men than it is for women… girl on girl is acceptable, hell, it's downright tempting to some… man on man? Tends to scare people for some reason. I never understood it myself."  
  
"Have you known both?" he asked.  
  
A slight cough. "Well…yes… I was with a girl once, in college. But I find men to be my main attraction."  
  
"Ah." Legolas nodded, completely un-phased by her confession. "Is this another reason why your family seems to dislike Jason to such a degree?"  
  
Katie nodded. "Yeah. Jason likes to rub it in how different he is from everyone else… he revels in it. Gives his mom conniptions every time he mentions a boyfriend to her."  
  
"So he is… playing?"  
  
"Not with Boromir…he already told me. Those two seem to really… be in love. It's rather sweet I think… bad timing, but rather sweet."  
  
"There is no such thing as a bad time for love." Legolas said softly, staring into his empty wine glass.  
  
"What was that?"  
  
"Something my mother once told me, more or less." He breathed. "She and my father fell in love right when he was fighting of the worst orc invasion of the time. He was concerned that he might fall in battle and told her that she must not love him… needless to say, she did not heed his warnings."  
  
"All the better for me… if she had, you wouldn't be sitting here." She smiled.  
  
He graced her with a smile of his own. "Very true. Are you trying to tell me that you enjoy my company, Kate?"  
  
"Course." She replied. "You all are a very interesting bunch… and how often do I get a chance to talk to someone who's 2931 years old… hell, that's longer than most of our recorded history."  
  
"I am still young in the Elvish scheme of things. There are elders who are tens of thousands of years old. I have spent so much time keeping the forests of Mirkwood safe that I am afraid that I have not traveled so much as Aragorn has." He admitted.  
  
"I'm not that well-traveled either… up and down the East Coast mostly… took one trip across the ocean to England during college, best time I ever had. One of these days I'll travel more… actually use those languages I studied in school." She mused aloud.  
  
"You are skilled with languages then?" he asked.  
  
"I took French in high school, continued it and added Italian and Japanese in college. I just like the sounds of different languages…they all sound so much prettier than English." She shrugged.  
  
"Unfamiliarity with a tongue can make it sound exotic no matter what is being said." He nodded, looking up as he thought.  
  
Katie looked up at him in shock when he spoke next, a flow of words completely unfamiliar but lilting and musical in their cadence and turns of vowel.  
  
"What was that?" she asked.  
  
"My language… Elvish."  
  
"What did you say?"  
  
"Goodnight… literally 'may the stars shine kindly upon your rest'." He smiled, rising.  
  
"Beautiful. I take it Elvish is a far more poetic language than English." She complimented, rising as well and taking both wine glasses to the kitchen.  
  
"Customarily. We Elves take pride in our exquisite speech."  
  
"In other words, you like to show of."  
  
"Yes." He answered without missing a beat. 


	10. And I know it's only in my mind...

Songs of the Elves  
  
By Marie Noire  
  
With apologies to J.R.R. Tolkien!  
  
  
  
And I know it's only in my mind  
  
That I'm talking to myself and not to him  
  
And although I know that he is blind  
  
Still I say, there's a way for us  
  
-Les Miserables  
  
The next few days were like the whirlwind summers Katie remembered from her childhood; nothing but sun and surf, games and loud music, her new friends… and the possibility of a summer romance. Michael had not so much as e- mailed her since she left, so she felt no guilt over her sudden urge to dally with a certain blonde-haired elf. The attraction was purely out of the blue; she normally preferred her men dark, muscular, and…well… human. Legolas was the original sun child, and bore a physique more akin to a ballet dancer's than to a weight-lifter's. It was a welcome change.  
  
To his credit, the sun and ocean air seemed to lift Legolas' naturally high spirits. Although he was still more dignified and contained than his compatriots, he was quick to laugh or smile. He delighted everyone by singing them Elvish sings once more as sat around nightly campfires on the beach or lounged on the porch in the morning with cups of coffee.  
  
No one wanted it to end… and, true to his usual spontaneity, Jason suggested to Katie that they take an extra week. For once in her life, Katie did not argue with her cousin's impulse. She would hold onto this vacation for as long as she could. Besides, Gandalf had not yet made any announcement regarding his progress in getting them back to Middle Earth…and she was not going to let Jason take them back to New York City. That would be just asking for trouble.  
  
In the spirit of things, Kate also agreed to hosting a party. Jason had unearthed a few old friends from acting school who were in town and Katie could only shake her head at him indulgently as he went crazy in the grocery store.  
  
"This is going to be a great party!" he exclaimed throwing a large bag of potato chips into the cart. "Not only is it you and me… the two coolest people this side of the Grand Canyon… but we've got our newest and greatest buds with us! Baz will be there… so will Grant… Helene, Jackie, Jennifer, Jeff..."  
  
Kate laughed. "The old college gang returns… sure this won't be too scary for the Middle Earthlings? And you may have to keep Baz away from the boys… you know what a flirt he is."  
  
"Yeah, yeah… it's all cool. After battle with the Nazgul, a simple party should be a cakewalk for them… but I've given them sufficient warnings." Jason nodded merrily.  
  
They finished the extensive food shopping and then headed back to the house, Jason's enthusiasm infectious to the point of even exciting Katie. This would be fun, she decided. She might be able to talk Legolas into a dance or two… maybe even snatch him away for a minute or two.  
  
Her initial attraction to the fair-haired elf had only grown since their first day in the ocean… now she sought him out whenever possible. He didn't seem to mind that insistence either, for he talked with her easily, almost all trace of any Elvish condescension vanishing. He was unlike anyone she had ever met. He was beautiful beyond normal appeal, almost ethereal… but quite plainly male in this splendor. But his childlike delight in the ocean waves and salt-laden air added an element of earthliness to him when he might have seemed too angelic to be real. Hs light-heartedness, when he chose to let it shine free, was contagious… prompting even the stern-faced Gimli and the world-weary Aragorn to laughter. She had been shocked into admiring silence when Legolas gave in to Jason's jibing and sang for her. His clear voice was like nothing she'd ever heard… crystal in clarity and lilting in tone, it wavered perfectly with every nuance. Normally such vibrato irked her… but the skill with which Legolas sang made it less a warble and more like the quaver of a finely-made string instrument.  
  
She was falling… and hard. Her mind warned her against it, reminding her that the handsome elf would eventually return to his own world and leave her behind. No matter what Jason suggested, she couldn't just up and disappear. The real world just didn't work like that.  
  
As she and Jason walked up the sidewalk to the house, they both noticed the entire Fellowship gathered on the porch, all attention on Gandalf. Their expression ranged from begrudging relief to vague disappointment. Legolas in particular looked downcast.  
  
Jason slowed his step and Katie followed suit. "What? What is it?" she asked quietly.  
  
"He's figured it out…" Jason sighed. "He knows how to get us back."  
  
"Isn't that… a good thing?" she swallowed against the sudden threat of tears.  
  
"Yeah… but not if you're in love." He replied in a soft voice.  
  
"I thought you were going back with them."  
  
"I am… but, Katie… what about you?"  
  
"What about me?" she repeated. "I can't just abandon everything here. What about my job? What about my apartment? What about… um… Michael?"  
  
"Michael? You haven't so much as mentioned him since we got here… you don't owe him anything. And need I remind you that you don't even like your job?"  
  
"Jay…I can't. Think about what your saying. Their world is at a terrifying point. If their quest fails then it's the end of life as they know it. I'm not sure I want to take a chance with them." She sighed.  
  
"But what about Legolas?" Jason insisted.  
  
"What about Legolas?"  
  
"Is there an echo in here? Katie… you care about him and don't try to tell me you don't… and he cares about you." He asserted.  
  
Katie sighed again. "Jason… I won't deny that I have a slight crush on him… but that doesn't mean I should drop everything and follow him to Mordor. He's immortal for God's sake! What would he want with a little mortal girl who can only give him fifty years at most?"  
  
"Aragorn and Arwen-" he began.  
  
"Are a special case, Jason… I'm not that lucky. Not that I would allow him to give up his immortality for me, even if he offered." Katie interrupted. "No, Jason. This is no fairy tale. If it were, I would come with you, help defeat this Dark Lord, and live happily ever after. But, things being as they are, I can only dream about such things and live my mundane little life as it is."  
  
It was Jason's turn to sigh. "Katie…I don't agree with you… but if that's your decision, I can't turn you from it, can I?"  
  
"No, Jason…you can't." 


	11. A song played on a solo saxophone...

Songs of the Elves  
  
By Marie Noire  
  
With apologies to J.R.R. Tolkien!  
  
A song played on a solo saxophone  
  
A crazy sound, a lonely sound  
  
A cry that tells us love goes on and on  
  
Played on a solo saxophone  
  
It's telling me to hold you tight  
  
And dance like it's the last night of the world  
  
Miss Saigon  
  
Gandalf had indeed remembered a spell that would transport the Fellowship back to Middle Earth, although he could not be exactly certain of where in Middle Earth they might turn up. His argument against anyone's complaints was that the Valar would not likely place them far off-course without reason. Merry thought that maybe, if they could leave The One Ring behind, then all of their problems would be solved. But Gandalf shook his grey head gravely… if he could stumble into Jason and Katie's world… so could Sauron. The quest still stood and the Ring had to be destroyed… not simply abandoned and hidden.  
  
At Jason's insistence that he remain with the company, Aragorn expressed reluctance. "We are on a very dangerous mission, Jaycen." He said grimly. "Why should you risk your life?"  
  
"Tell me this… why should you?" Jason replied.  
  
"Middle Earth is our home and the memory of the Dark Years has only just dispersed into mere echoes." Aragorn explained.  
  
"Then it's a worthy cause. Why shouldn't I want to help?" Jason inquired seriously.  
  
"You are not from Middle Earth, Jaycen… why would you want to risk your life to save it?" Boromir asked in a quiet voice.  
  
"Look, I really don't expect any of you guys to understand. I've never felt like I belong here. Only when I'm onstage, living in someone else's skin do I feel any peace. With you, I have a purpose. My heart tells me that Middle Earth is my… my real home… if you will." Jason sighed.  
  
Katie looked down. "Jay… I still don't like this."  
  
Jason knelt and took her hands, his gaze candid. "I know, cuz… believe me. But it's just something I have to do. Try to understand."  
  
She paused before nodding. "All right, Jay… your heart's never steered you wrong before. I don't see why it should start now. I just hope you don't regret it."  
  
He smiled. "I won't… I know it."  
  
"It is final then." Gandalf nodded, a knowing glint in his eyes. "Jaycen will join the Fellowship permanently. He has proven his mettle before and will be of great help I think."  
  
Frodo smiled. "I am glad. You are a good friend, Jaycen."  
  
"Please, please." Jason laughed. "You'll make me blush! Then Baz won't leave me alone for the rest of the night."  
  
"Baz won't leave you alone no matter what color you are." Katie reminded him before standing. "We need to get ready, cuz. You wanna do the food, Jay? And I'll set up the sound system and prepare to deejay this whole affair?"  
  
"Sounds good to me."  
  
"Hey… how are we explaining the interspecies aspects of this party to your friends? I doubt they're expecting dwarves, elves, and hobbits to greet them."  
  
"You know Baz and the gang, they'll take whatever comes flying at them. If anyone asks, just say I met them on some movie set." Jason shrugged.  
  
"Oh really now? And which movie might that be?"  
  
"The Lord of the Rings of course."  
  
"Hooboy… this is going to be interesting."  
  
Luckily, true to his word, none of Jason's friends seemed overly surprised by the presence of the somewhat shorter members of the group. Baz, as expected, flirted with everyone, male and female alike. Katie kept things going as the unofficial deejay and when the CD player didn't need her attention, she was teaching everyone how to dance. Frodo and Pippin in particular took to it, looking like to very small Backstreet Boys, as Helene pointed out to them teasingly. Legolas had a time of it, trying to fend off a slightly buzzed and very amorous Jackie… luckily Jason rescued him, setting her attentions on Jeff instead.  
  
Baz seized Katie's hand, whirling her into his arms with his most charming grin on. "Teach me to dance, sweets?"  
  
Katie blushed and laughed. "You look like you already know how to dance, Baz."  
  
"I do. But I need a partner, don't I?" he feigned innocence.  
  
"Oh, all right. If I must." Katie sighed with a wink. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Legolas rise from his seat, watching her with Baz in a distinctly envious manner. Her heart leapt into her throat… was he acting… jealous?  
  
Her view of him was stolen as Baz spun her out from him quickly and pulled her back so that he could take her into a deep backwards dip. "You know Dirty Dancing right?"  
  
"I… know the movie, yes."  
  
"Think you can pull off the climax?"  
  
She coughed delicately. "Except for the lift at the end, yes."  
  
"Cool… shall we?"  
  
Without waiting for her reply, he pulled her back up and began dancing the mambo with her. Fortunately, Katie was quick to follow his lead… her old dance classes coming back to her easily. She kept herself separate from her partner however, somehow mindful of causing Legolas any undue resentment, occupying her mind more with keeping her frame locked than with the handsome Baz. She couldn't decide whether to be disappointed of thankful when the dance ended and Baz kissed her hand before slipping off to flirt with Helene.  
  
It was late into the night when a warm, slender hand sought hers as she watched some of the other slow-dance. She turned around to find Legolas' stormy grey eyes meeting hers in a beseeching manner as he gently pulled her off to the side and out onto the deserted porch.  
  
"Is something wrong, Legolas?" she asked, concerned by the seriousness of her countenance.  
  
"Not exactly. I did not mean to startle you, Kate. I only wished to speak with you privately." He shook his head, gesturing for her to sit on the porch swing.  
  
She sat with as much grace as she could muster. "That's all right. You didn't startle me too badly. What did you want to talk to me about?"  
  
"Gandalf says… we are to leave on the morrow. I thought I might not have a chance to…" he drifted off, shifting uncomfortably.  
  
"Say goodbye to me?" she finished for him in a soft voice.  
  
He nodded. "I do not wish to say farewell. I have grown rather fond of you… too fond."  
  
"You and me both." She agreed. "It just… it would never have worked… would it?"  
  
He shook his head sorrowfully. "No. I do not think it would have. And my heart feels heavy for it."  
  
He sighed, taking her hands within his in a graceful, tender touch. "And yet… would it be so dreadful a thing to imagine, for this last night… that things are not just as they are?"  
  
She swallowed. "What are you suggesting, Legolas?"  
  
"Nothing that you would not wish, Kate. If you would rather we go our separate ways sooner rather than later, then it shall be so. But might I ask one favor from you first?" he asked, his voice no more than a breath.  
  
"Ask." Was all she could say in reply.  
  
"Dance with me… as the others are dancing… this fluid embrace that sways with the music." He rose, her hands still in his, lightly pulling her up with him.  
  
She swallowed and nodded, letting the elf take her into his arms and gradually begin to rock from side to side with the gentle song that wafted outside. At first, she remained perfectly still, not daring to let her hands do anything more than rest where he placed them. But gradually, she grew braver, letting one hand drift to the back of his neck, toying with the long blonde locks at the nape. Her other hand slid to rest over his heart, cherishing the steady beat underneath. For his part, he did not try any of the tricks she might have expected from Baz or any other fellow. The hand that rested on the small of her back was warm and oddly protective, the other caressed over her hair in a light sweep, his thumb brushing her cheek… their eyes never breaking contact, ocean blue on sky grey.  
  
The song changed, although neither of them truly noticed…all they knew was that the only reason eye contact was broken was so that Kate could lay her head over Legolas' heart, pressing herself closer to him. She could heart his heart beat jump, could feel his quiet gasp of surprise and her cheeks flushed. But she didn't pull back… they were pretending after all.  
  
"Katrina…" he whispered, the sound of her name being caressed by his voice sending a mild shiver up her spine.  
  
"Hmm?" she sighed by way of reply, unwilling to let go of the elf just yet.  
  
He chuckled gently. "Nothing… I only wanted to… say your name."  
  
They stayed as they were, wrapped in each other's arms, warm against one another in the cool night air. Kate could hear the music slowly cease and their guests bid Jason and the others goodnight. The house grew quiet, filled only with the small sounds of everyone cleaning up and heading off to bed. Still, she and Legolas remained on the dimly lit porch, sitting back on the swing when their feet grew tired… still embracing each other.  
  
"It's late…" she whispered against his neck only when her back began to ache with weariness. "We should… go to bed. You will need your rest if you are to return to-"  
  
He cut her off, one slender finger pressed to her lips. "Ai… no. We will have no mention of tomorrow, remember? There is only tonight."  
  
"Legolas…" she sighed, wishing with all of her might that she could, just this once, do what she really wanted to without worrying over her many responsibilities. Why couldn't any of her responsibilities be about her own happiness?  
  
"Hush…I know." He whispered. "Your heart is careworn… as is mine. Let me comfort you. Take your rest in my arms… please, Katrina?"  
  
She could form no reply… only nod her head next to his chest as Legolas stretched out across the porch swing, cradling her body against his own. The air around then was warm with summer, but it was the warmth of affection that made Kate's cheeks glow in the starlight, even as she slowly drifted off to sleep… kept within an Elvish embrace. 


	12. Close every door to me...

Songs of the Elves  
  
By Marie Noire  
  
With apologies to J.R.R. Tolkien!  
  
  
  
Close every door to me  
  
Hide all the world from me  
  
Bar all the windows  
  
And shut out the light  
  
-Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat  
  
Blackness, darker than any she'd ever known before, surrounded her. She blinked, not even certain if her eyes were open or not, but there was no change between the blackness of her eyelids and that which met her. For a split second of abject terror, she thought it was September 11th once more, that the sun-gleaming towers had fallen and buried her under a million tons of broken, smoking rubble. But no, she reasoned, that was almost a year ago. The air was not thick with a choking dust, but cool and moist… as though she were outside after a recent rain. There was no noise except for her own breathing.  
  
There… another noise… a tiny whimper and a cool nose pressed into her hand. "Maximus…" she whispered, almost inaudible even to herself. The little dog was inside of her bag, where he often took naps… she couldn't quite remember why she had been carrying a bag in the first place.  
  
She licked her dry lips nervously. "Jason?"  
  
A groan. "K-Katie?"  
  
"Yeah. What happened? Did the power go out? And what is that dank smell?" she smiled, relaxing at the familiar sound of her dear cousin's voice. She must have drank too much at the party the night before…  
  
"That," came Gandalf's voice from the dark. "Would be the smell of being under a great mountain."  
  
"Gandalf?!" Katie almost shrieked. "Woah, wait a minute! What are you talking about? Mountain? I thought you were going back to Middle Earth!"  
  
"We did… and apparently the Valar have decided to send you back with us." He commented cheerily, a flicker of light momentarily blinding Katie as he lit something on his staff.  
  
"Why in God's name would they do that?" she asked, all but hyperventilating.  
  
"Hush, Katie! Keep your voice down!" Jason hissed in serious warning.  
  
"Oh no…" Merry's voice groaned as he the others came to.  
  
"Back within the walls of Moria…" Aragorn sighed, looking none too pleased with the idea.  
  
"Just when I was getting used to being warm again." Pippin whined, pulling his cloak tighter around himself.  
  
Katie noticed for the first time that she and Jason were wearing Middle Earth appropriate clothing as well. Jason wore clothing similar to Aragorn's, only in various shades of dark reds and crimsons rather than black. More than that, he was carrying a longsword and several daggers. As for herself, Katie was wearing clothing similar to Legolas, although her tunic was significantly longer and her cloak had a spacious hood, which she pulled up eagerly as the chill began to seep in.  
  
"Well… the squid is defeated." Gimli pointed out gruffly.  
  
"True… however, friend dwarf… so is the doorway back out." Legolas sighed.  
  
Jason thumped his head on a stone wall half-heartedly. "I hate caves."  
  
Katie straightened up, figuring that if she were in Middle Earth… she might as well make the best of it until Gandalf could send her back. "Caves never bothered me."  
  
"You weren't in the last one." He grumbled.  
  
"Thank you, Mr. Jurassic Park."  
  
"Jason. Katie. Hush… we must be quiet. It's a four-day journey to the other side. There are fouler things than orcs in the deep places of the Earth. Let us hope our presence will go unnoticed." Gandalf admonished them sternly, already beginning to pick his way through the tunnels as the Fellowship fell in step behind him.  
  
"Quiet? Why? These caves look abandoned." She asked in a whisper, grimacing as she cuahgt sight of the various dwarf and orc bodies that littered the floor.  
  
"Would that they were forsaken… but that is not the case. We must be quiet, lest the orcs that have taken over Moria hear us." Legolas answered, keeping a close pace behind her.  
  
"Orcs…" she echoed in a fearful whisper. "I'm almost afraid to ask… what's an orc?"  
  
Legolas searched the shadows almost nervously. "With a great deal of luck… you will never find out, Kate. They are savage creatures… bent on destruction. They have been invading my forests for years."  
  
Katie swallowed. "Terrific… not only am I spelunking without a rope… but there are evil, murdering creatures in here… how do I get into these messes?"  
  
"Kate." Gandalf hissed back. "I spend enough of my time scolding this fool of a Took… don't make me turn the both of you into newts."  
  
"I didn't say anything!" Pippin complained in a high voice.  
  
"Hush!" at least three others shushed him immediately. 


	13. Down once more to the dungeon of my blac...

Songs of the Elves  
  
By Marie Noire  
  
With apologies to J.R.R. Tolkien!  
  
  
  
Down once more to the dungeon of my black despair  
  
Down we plunge to the prison of my mind  
  
Down that path into darkness deep as hell  
  
- The Phantom of the Opera  
  
The journey was worse than she had expected. The chill of the Dwarven caves seeped into her very bones, making her shiver constantly; her hands felt numb and clumsy. Every small sound made her jump and search the shadows and she soon began to think she was imagining things… for no one else seemed to hear anything. Even her fearless little guard dog preferred to remain inside of her bag, his head and paws peeking out; not that she would've have risked losing him by setting him down. He seemed to sense the urgency of the journey and kept eerily quiet. The darkness was suffocating, and she found herself eager to be at the head of the line with Gandalf just so that she could have some light on her face. Instead, she stayed in step with Legolas.  
  
His expression was unreadable. Alert, determined… but she could not tell if the sinister caverns unnerved him as much as they unnerved her. Several times, when a sound echoed through, he would draw an arrow and ready it… but he never needed to fire. Not yet.  
  
Warnings prickled at the back of her head, creating an insatiable itch that made her want to watch their backs. As if something were following them… stalking, waiting for a moment to attack.  
  
"Do you feel it?" she asked Legolas in a quiet whisper on the second day, as they encountered a wide bridge that allowed them to walk side-by-side.  
  
"Feel what?" he asked, his eyes flicking to hers briefly.  
  
"I'm not sure… like there are eyes watching us… from behind. There's a scent I didn't recognize before…" she shivered, drawing her cloak closed.  
  
"I feel it as well… there is something following us… but it has not yet caused any hardship. That scent… these caverns were taken by orcs. I am hopeful that they have moved on and left only their scent behind them." He nodded, resting one hand on her back in a protective manner. "However… I doubt that is the case. Keep your wits sharp, Kate… we will need every pair of eyes and ears vigilant to the shadows."  
  
She nodded, swallowing nervously. "How can Dwarves live like this? It's so… gloomy…"  
  
Gimli came up on her other side, looking strangely anxious himself. "The Dwarves did not live like this… orcs despise the light… they destroyed all of the sun-mirrors and torches."  
  
"Oh." Was her only reply as they kept walking and climbing where necessary. Eventually, Katie found herself more in the company of the hobbits, helping them climb over the stones without slipping. Her own agility seemed to have improved with her transportation to Middle Earth, she thought vaguely as she pulled Pippin out of a would-be fall.  
  
They came to a clearing of sorts, although littered with boulders and trash, and Gandalf paused. Ahead of them were three separate tunnels leading in different directions.  
  
"I have no memory of this place." He commented in a low voice. "We may as well rest for a bit… I need to try and remember which way to go."  
  
With a collective sigh, packs were dropped and bodies slowly slid to the stone floor. Katie, too antsy to sit, paced and leapt nimbly from rock to rock, watching for movement in the shadows below them.  
  
"Kate…" Legolas called softly. "Calm yourself. You will exhaust yourself with this nervous activity. Come… rest. We still have a long way to go."  
  
She growled under her breath, but sat next to him nonetheless. "I can't help it… I feel like I've had ten cups of espresso. I am in a completely different world, in a dark cave, with nothing to defend myself with except a min pin."  
  
A ghost of a smile towards the sleeping min pin. "Do not be anxious, Kate. I will watch over you."  
  
"I'm not certain whether or not that's comforting." She sighed, resting her arms on her knees and bowing her head.  
  
"You will see. My skills in the target range are impressive, but I am just as capable in combat."  
  
"Handsome and modest, who would've thunk it?" she murmured.  
  
Silence reigned supreme over the Fellowship until Frodo and Gandalf began a soft conversation she couldn't quite hear. Instead, she busied herself with studying Legolas. The archer was standing beside her, arms crossed over his chest, staring up at the endless expanse of darkness above them. His expression was emotionless at first glance, but the longer she looked at him, the more subtle clues she picked up. His grey eyes were sharp, barely blinking darting through the blackness… his jaw set a little too tensely… his ears twitching at the slightest sounds.  
  
"Legolas." She whispered.  
  
"Hmm?" he met her gaze curiously.  
  
"I'm nervous because I'm far from home and helpless. What are you so nervous for?" she asked, tugging on his arm gently.  
  
He settled next to her with a sigh. "Elves do not go underground of their own will. I am feeling… bereft… without sunlight or starlight for so long. I am just eager to leave these mines."  
  
She nodded. "I know the feeling… I feel… dirty… buried. Like… like that day… last year." She shivered and bit her bottom lip before looking up at Legolas, wide-eyed. "I'm scared… I am so deathly scared right now."  
  
"Kate…" Legolas whispered, resting one arm about her shoulders and drawing her closer, although whether to warm her or comfort her, she was not entirely sure. "We are all fearful… our mission is one of crucial importance… if we fail, I could well be the doom of our world as we know it."  
  
"I doubt I'll be of any help… I don't even have a weapon." She said softly.  
  
Legolas started. "Do you not? I had forgotten. I will have to take special care to look after you then. I would not for the world see you come to harm."  
  
"Oh good."  
  
"Ah!" Gandalf suddenly exclaimed, earning the entire company's immediate attention. "It's this way!"  
  
"At last… he's remembered." Jason sighed in relief.  
  
"No." said Gandalf cheerfully. "But the air doesn't smell so foul down this way. When all else fails, follow your nose."  
  
"Proverbs to Live By… by Gandalf the Grey. There's a bestseller for you." Jason mumbled.  
  
It was not long before the narrow caverns gave way to a much larger space, where the air was cooler, but not as dank.  
  
"I will risk a little more light." Gandalf whispered, the glowing quartz in his staff quickly blazing to reveal a hall larger than any she'd ever seen, held up by scores of pillars with intricate designs on them.  
  
"Behold… the Great Hall of Moria." Gandalf announced softly.  
  
"Now there's a sight, make no mistake." Merry added.  
  
"Indeed." Jason agreed.  
  
Katie clung to Legolas' sleeve, staring up at the vast hall with wide eyes, her mouth slightly agape. "I take it back, Gimli… you Dwarves have excellent taste. This is astonishing."  
  
Gimli meanwhile was already heading for an open doorway, where a light shone within.  
  
"Gimli!" Gandalf called, charging after him. Everyone followed, shocked to find what appeared to be some sort of a mausoleum, complete with a coffin in the middle. More dead and rotting bodies littered the floor, almost making Katie gag.  
  
"No… no…" Gimli muttered, falling to his knees, his helmet clanging against the coffin's stone edge.  
  
Gandalf came forward, reading the inscription. "Here lies Balin, Lord of Moria… he is dead then… it is as I feared."  
  
A nagging sensation of urgency passed over Katie once more, making her bounce up and down on the balls of her feet next to Legolas. "We can't stay here." She whispered. "This place is… watched."  
  
He nodded. "I feel it too. Aragorn, we should go. We must not linger."  
  
Aragorn nodded and waited for Gandalf, who was busying himself with gently slipping a large book from under the skeletal hand of a corpse. He opened the dusty book, blowing the pages clean in order to read them. "We cannot get out. They have taken the bridge and the second hall. We cannot get out. Drums… drums… in the deep. We cannot get out…"  
  
"Stop saying that…" Katie whimpered.  
  
"They are coming." Gandalf read the last line.  
  
A crash from behind them made everyone jump. Pippin, who had taken Gandalf's hat and staff, had knocked over a skeleton perched precariously on a well's edge. It fell down the long shaft, banging and crashing its way to the bottom, making everyone freeze.  
  
Silence followed the banging, seeming almost louder as everyone strained to hear any sounds of threat. Seconds seemed like years before everyone breathed a collective sigh of relief. Gandalf snatched his belongings back from the dumbfounded Pippin.  
  
"Fool of a Took! Next time throw yourself in and rid us of your stupidity!" he admonished the youngest hobbit angrily.  
  
Boom.  
  
Boom.  
  
The sound of drums made everyone freeze.  
  
"Orcs!" Legolas cried as everyone drew a weapon of some kind.  
  
Boromir ran to the door, Katie hot on his heels, looking out to see which direction they were coming from. Katie saw over a dozen man-sized figures in rag-tag armor running their way… and behind them a huge hulking creature that growled and roared. Boromir pulled her back as two arrows whizzed just over her head, shutting the doors quickly.  
  
"They have a cave troll!" he announced as Legolas began tossing long axes at them to bar the doors with. Katie held the doors steady while Boromir and Aragorn slid the axes into place.  
  
"That's a cave troll?!" she squeaked, remembering the barreling shape. "I think I liked the one in Harry Potter better!"  
  
"Out of the way, Kate!" Legolas commanded, aiming an arrow at the door.  
  
She dashed away, sprinting to the back where the hobbits stood in a small group. Even they had weapons… small swords and daggers. Katie growled in frustration and nabbed a frying pan from Sam's pack.  
  
"Perfect! We're being attacked by monsters and I'm defending myself with a skillet!" she mumbled under her breath as the orcs began pounding on the door to break it down. Several of the creatures fell before the door was ever shattered thanks to Aragorn and Legolas' arrows. But once the wood splintered and fell, they were overrun. The grey-skinned, foul-smelling beasts attacked each member, clumsy but strong enough in their numbers that the Fellowship was put to the test. Katie, knowing that she stood little chance against even one of them decided that climbing out of reach was her best course. Few orcs noticed her and those that did were easily knocked aside by the heavy pan she wielded.  
  
A roar sounded, shaking the stone walls and nearly knocking Katie from her perch. The cave troll ripped through the doorway, sending shards of broken wood and rocks everywhere. Legolas was the first to wound him, sending an arrow straight into the creature's breast… but to no avail… it only served to anger him further. Sam was forced to duck under him to avoid being flattened. Gimli showed remarkable agility in avoiding the blows from the huge mace it carried, letting it instead hit inattentive orcs.  
  
Katie saw Legolas on a ledge across from hers, using his white-bladed daggers to fend off a pair of orcs. The troll came at him, taking advantage of the elf's preoccupation.  
  
"Legolas! Look out!" she screamed at the top of her lungs. Legolas ducked just in time as the troll swung the chain around his neck at him, cracking against the stone wall and sending dust thick into the air. Another swing and the chain caught on a pillar. Katie gasped in horror when Legolas used the line to skitter across it and plant himself on the troll's head.  
  
"You idiot! Get down from there!" she shouted.  
  
The elf ignored her, shooting an arrow into the troll's head, attempting to kill it. Still no effect other than pained fury as the troll swung about, trying to dislodge the elf. Legolas jumped quickly, dashing out of reach. The troll spun around and about, trying to focus on another target.  
  
The hobbits!  
  
Katie leapt over the ledges, hoping to distract the troll, but it was no use… Frodo had caught his one-track attention. His mace came crashing down and Katie dragged Frodo to one side while Merry and Pippin darted to the other. Together, she and Frodo hid on one side of a pillar, dancing around it in a fearful panic, trying desperately to avoid the troll's detection. No good… it caught them, grabbing Frodo by the legs while Katie held onto his arms.  
  
"Aragorn!" Frodo yelled in a high, terrified voice.  
  
The ranger flew over, armed with a spear, challenging the troll as Katie hung onto to Frodo for dear life. With her eyes squeezed shut, she saw little of what happened. All she knew was that she was shook lose and hurled across the room, hitting a stone wall with a bone-jarring thud. For a moment, the world swam with little whirling stars as she slumped to the ground. By some miracle, she managed not to faint, but pulled herself up shakily in time to see the troll wield Aragorn's spear and drive it forward… right into Frodo.  
  
Merry and Pippin were the first to react with action, throwing themselves at the troll and landing on his head, beating him with their fists as hard as possible. Katie, overcome by anger, followed suit, leaping onto the troll and climbing over his shoulders and head, shouting obscenities that she did not know she knew how to use in context.  
  
Merry was thrown quickly, as was Pippin. Katie held fast, noticing that Legolas was below, aiming an arrow sharply. With a superhuman pull, Katie reared back, making the troll jerk his head back, his mouth open in a roar.  
  
One perfect shot and Katie could feel the strength suddenly leave the beast, stumbling and crashing to the ground with an Elvish arrow lodged deep in its brain. Katie was flung off of his head, landing on her back heavily, knocking the wind out of her lungs.  
  
She groaned, lifting herself up painfully as Legolas knelt next to her. "Are you hurt, Kate?" he asked earnestly.  
  
"I'm… I'm okay I think… just a little banged up… Frodo!" she suddenly remembered, watching Aragorn turn the fallen hobbit over.  
  
To her great surprise he coughed and he looked around at everyone gratefully. "I am all right. I am not hurt."  
  
"We thought you were dead!" Aragorn exclaimed. "That spear would have skewered a wild boar!"  
  
"I think there's more to this hobbit than meets the eye." Gandalf winked.  
  
Frodo smiled and opened his shirt to reveal a silvery garment underneath. Gimli gasped. "Mithril! You're full of surprises, master Baggins."  
  
"Seems to run in the family." Jason grinned. "Can we get out of here now?"  
  
"Quickly! Through the hall and to the bridge!" Gandalf ordered, leading them back out in a dead run.  
  
Katie stumbled, still jolted by the hits she had taken, but kept up with everyone, spurred on by the screams and guttural mumblings of more orcs. Even as she ran for her life, she could see they were quickly being surrounded by hundreds, possibly thousands of the dreadful things. The circle around them was growing tighter, forcing them to slow and come to a stand-stil.  
  
Katie whimpered, her head against Legolas' back as the orcs drew closer, their large, reptilian eyes gleeful with the prospect of fresh blood.  
  
"Legolas…" she whispered, her voice breaking with tears. There was no way out of this one.  
  
"Katrina…" he whispered back, his tone much the same, even as he readied his bow to fight these impossible odds.  
  
A thunderous growl, a million times deeper than the cave troll's, shook the entire cavern, sending Katie to her knees. The orcs screeched and panicked, running, scampering up the pillars and into the deep cracks they had come from. Confused, Katie regained her footing and stood out, watching a blaze of fiery light bathe the tall pillars red. Legolas' hands aimed an arrow this way and that at the fleeing orcs… but lowered it slowly as they all disappeared.  
  
"Um… anyone… care to… explain?" she asked softly as the rumblings drew nearer 


	14. On silent feet, it came...

Songs of the Elves  
  
By Marie Noire  
  
With apologies to J.R.R. Tolkien!  
  
  
  
On silent feet it came  
  
Breathing a sheet of flame it came  
  
Closing in on its rightful prey  
  
Burning a hundred years away  
  
-Miss Saigon  
  
"What new devilry is this" Boromir asked as Katie once more hid behind Legolas, peeking over his shoulder at the red-orange light slowly moving towards them.  
  
"A balrog." Gandalf said at last… Katie could feel Legolas suddenly start to shake, the arrow toppling from his grip.  
  
"What's… a balrog?" Jason asked nervously.  
  
"An ancient demon of fire." Gandalf replied, his voice low.  
  
Katie panted with fear. "Demon… great… splendid… why are we still standing here?"  
  
"Run!" Gandalf finally commanded, most of the Fellowship already in motion before the word was out of his mouth.  
  
Katie ran faster than she ever had before, just between Boromir and Legolas, with Jason to her side. A stone stairway led down and Boromir barreled down it, not seeing the abrupt fall at its end. "Boromir!" she screamed, grabbing him about the chest and using all of her strength to pull him back… but she was losing her balance to the heavier man. Hands grabbed around both her and Boromir as Legolas and Jason pulled them both upright.  
  
"Go… to the Bridge!" Gandalf ordered, pointing down in what might as well have been a million miles away… a narrow stone bridge.  
  
"That's the bridge?!" Jason yelled even as he started running down the stairs after the others. Katie grabbed Legolas' hand and allowed him to pull her along down the endless stairways. Her legs felt weak and she nearly stumbled a few times n her panic. Meanwhile the constant boom of the balrog's footsteps urged her onward as did the suddenly searing heat that engulfed the caves.  
  
A break in the path, where a section of the stairs had fallen away, leaving a five-foot gap and a dark abyss below it. Legolas jumped across first, being the most nimble and least likely to fall upon landing without help. Gandalf was next, then Jason. Arrows shot out of nowhere and everyone looked up to find orc archers flanking them on one side. Katie screamed as one whizzed past her shoulder, another striking the stone next to her foot. Legolas, clearly angered, fired shot after shot, each one finding its mark. Boromir took advantage of the lull in enemy fire and picked up Merry and Pippin. He leapt across the space, nearly falling into Jason. Another section fell, making the gap larger, Katie pushed Sam forward into Aragorn's arms and was relieved when the hobbit was successfully thrown and caught on the other side.  
  
"Come on, Katie!" Jason yelled. "Aragorn, throw her to us!"  
  
"What?!" Katie shrieked as she found herself hoisted into Aragorn's arms and thrown over the ravine. A moment of abject terror and she felt herself being held tightly. Tears were already streaming down her face as she looked up at Legolas. A brief smile was her reward before he set her down and turned back to the remaining stragglers.  
  
Aragorn made as if to throw Gimli across as well, but the dwarf stubbornly opted to jump himself and nearly fell backwards. Kate and Legolas both shot out their hands to catch him… by the beard. He yelled something they couldn't hear, but between the two of them, they managed to pull him upright. Another earthquake-like rumble shook the caverns and Katie ducked, instinctively shielding her head. A great crack and another section of the stair broke away… leaving Frodo and Aragorn on the wrong side of a now impossible jump. Katie gasped when she saw the huge crack already spreading through the middle of the slice supporting them.  
  
"It's gonna fall!" she yelled in warning.  
  
For a minute, as the section slowly began to weave from side to side as its stability decreased, she thought they were only going to stand there.  
  
"Lean forward!" Aragorn yelled, using his and Frodo's weight to lean the falling piece of stone towards the others.  
  
"Come on!" Legolas pressed loudly, opening his arms.  
  
With a crash, the two sections collided, throwing both human and hobbit into the waiting arms of their comrades. Legolas swung around under Aragorn's weight… Jason and Katie staggered under Frodo's… but everyone remained upright.  
  
"Keep going! Run!" Gandalf commanded, once more leading the way. They obeyed quickly, racing down the remained stairs, down to the caves that guarded the entrance of the bridge. Fire had sprung up on the floor, burning the grey stone walls black, like a dirty chimney. Gandalf paused, motioning everyone past him. Katie was last and turned to see that the wizard followed.  
  
And she saw what she never in her life thought she would see.  
  
The balrog, a gigantic creature made of dark fire, like burnt embers one second and raging inferno the next. It roared and Katie felt the intensity of its hell-heated breath… she did what any sensible woman would do. She screamed and stumbled backwards, crawling away as Gandalf stood against it. Hands yanked her up and she vaguely realized that Legolas was pulling her. She collected herself together somewhat and ran after him across the narrow bridge. Again she faltered and tripped.  
  
But this time, she pitched herself right off the bridge, her entire body scraping over the stone edge. By some miracle, her hands found a hold and she kept herself from falling. But her grip was fragile and she knew she could not keep it for long. The incessant shaking as the balrog moved towards her loosened her hold… and the yawning abyss below her offered no help.  
  
"Legolas!" she cried out in a panic. Gandalf stood a few feet away from her at the very center of the bridge and the balrog stood on the opposite side, pausing only because of Gandalf. Maximus barked and growled from his hanging position in her bag. She screamed the elf's name once more as she felt her hold weakening.  
  
"Kate!" Legolas cried out, dashing back across the bridge to her and sliding onto his stomach to grab her arms. "Hold onto me, Kate! I'll pull you up… hold still!"  
  
She nodded through her panic, watching Gandalf and the balrog face off with morbid fascination. The wizard roared something she couldn't hear at the demon as the quartz in his staff began to shine with a brilliant white light. Distracted, she pulled her knees up and gave Legolas the right leverage to lift her onto the bridge. The elf pulled her to the other side and she followed without question, holding his hand tightly. Once safe on solid ground, she turned back to see that Gandalf was also on safe territory.  
  
No. He still stood on the bridge, confronting the demon, wielding his sword and staff against the creature. "You shall not… pass!" he bellowed, the bridge breaking in half as he did so. The balrog lost his unholy footing and with a great howl, fell into the never-ending darkness below.  
  
"Gandalf!" she shouted. "Come on! We have to get out of here!"  
  
Gandalf turned and never even saw the string of demon flame that caught him, pulling him to the edge of the broken bridge. He clung to it, meeting the stunned eyes of the Fellowship. Boromir held Frodo back… Aragorn stopped in mid-stride… Jason grabbed Katie's shoulders.  
  
"Fly, you fools!" he directed before his grip failed and he followed the balrog into the black abyss of Moria's end.  
  
"No!" Frodo's tragic cry echoed everyone's heart as they somehow retained the presence of mind to follow the wizard's final order. They climbed towards the light that they had been denied for four days already, their eyes stinging… but there was little joy in the sun glistening on the snow- dusted hills.  
  
Sam collapsed on the nearest available boulder, sobbing openly… Merry caught Pippin as he fell and the two sat on the frozen ground, one in shock and the other shaking with grief. Jason and Boromir each held an incensed Gimli back when he would've gone back into the mines. Legolas merely stood, looking over the Fellowship with haunted, disbelieving eyes. Katie sank to her knees, wrapping her hands around herself and crying, rocking back and forth dispiritedly. Within her bag, Maximus was whining quietly.  
  
Aragorn turned back to face them all, sheathing his bloodied sword. "Legolas… get them up."  
  
Legolas took a moment to register what he had said, then simply looked at the human as though he had lost his mind.  
  
"Give them a moment, for pity's sake!" Boromir admonished Aragorn, his own eyes mournful.  
  
Katie was closest and launched herself at the dark-haired man, beating his chest with balled fists. "You cold-hearted bastard! How can you expect us to keep going after this?! Don't you have any respect, you self-righteous prick?!"  
  
Aragorn grabbed her wrists firmly, forcing her to remain still. "By nightfall these hills will be swarming with orcs. We must reach the forests of Lothlorien. We will be safe there."  
  
Katie's arms went limp and Aragorn let go. Legolas was at her side in an instant. "Aragorn is right. We must run while we can. There will be time to mourn later."  
  
She sniffled and nodded as he put his arms around her shoulders, dispiritedly following after Aragorn, over the snowy hills and into the meadows. The Fellowship was jarringly silent, numbly jogging along as if they could outrun what had happened in the dark mines. Sunset was a mere hour off when they finally saw the golden trees of Lothlorien. Katie had stopped crying some time ago, although she still held her arms around her torso in a futile embrace. The trees were taller than any she'd ever seen, stretching high over their heads and creating a ceiling of leaves over them. She was taken by the insane thought that these trees would be excellent for climbing… never mind that she had always been somewhat terrified of heights.  
  
"Stay close, young hobbits." She heard Gimli urge Pippin and Merry. He went on about some sort of elf-witch that ruled the golden woods…she sounded like some sort of Elvish Circe, if Katie wanted to be symbolic.  
  
It was your fault, young one… your clumsiness that forced Gandalf to fight that which he could not defeat. A voice in her heard scolded her scathingly. You are a danger… to the entire company… they would risk their lives for you and you would let them do it.  
  
Katie gasped and glanced up at the trees, half-expecting to find someone looking down on her… her heart thumped anxiously, even when no threat appeared. She shook her head, wishing she could shake off the nagging guilt as well.  
  
"I have the eyes of a hawk and the ears of a fox." Gimli was saying.  
  
He was cut off by the sudden appearance of an arrow in front of his nose. Katie stopped dead at another arrow pointed directly at her, another at her bag, as if they knew her little dog rested inside.  
  
Elvish archers… all with the same golden blonde hair that Legolas had. Katie fought the urge to burst into tears again.  
  
"The Dwarf breathes so loudly, we could have shot him in the dark." Came a chilly voice, their leader, no doubt.  
  
Gimli growled as Aragorn stepped forward, speaking softly to the icy elf… Haldir.  
  
"Aragorn! These woods are perilous! We should turn back!" Gimli inserted his two cents.  
  
"You have entered the realm of the Lady of the Woods, you cannot go back." Haldir spoke without losing that cold tone. "Come… she awaits you." 


	15. In the arms of the angel...

Songs of the Elves  
  
By Marie Noire  
  
With apologies to J.R.R. Tolkien!  
  
  
  
In the arms of the angel  
  
Fly away from here  
  
From this dark, cold hotel room  
  
And the endlessness that you fear  
  
You are pulled from the wreckage  
  
Of your silent reveries  
  
You're in the arms of the angel  
  
May you find some comfort here  
  
- Sarah McLachlan  
  
Katie's mind whirled as she and the remaining members of the Fellowship climbed up the glowing stairway to meet Galadriel. Under normal circumstances, she might have found herself entranced by the serene beauty of the inner forest, the springing arches and almost Celtic twists of the Elves' most sacred home. However, all things being as they were, she was in no condition to do anything but follow the one called Haldir, her eyes anxiously blind to the splendor.  
  
First those savage, brutal orcs and the cave troll in Moria… then the Balrog and… losing Gandalf like that… the Lothlorien archers coming out of nowhere… she'd been in Middle Earth for less than a week and she'd already had her life severely threatened at least three times a day. Now, she wasn't certain if they were guests or prisoners of this "Lady of the Wood". All she knew was that her only game plan was to plaster herself to Legolas until she was back in Jersey where she belonged. Even now, she walked a half a step behind him, troubled by his tense posture. To hide her undoubtedly frightened expression from the curious wood elves, she pulled her cloak closer, thankful for its concealing hood.  
  
Her knees shook as they finally came to stand on the landing of what appeared to be a receiving area, although whether from fear or exertion, she could not be sure. She took little comfort in the fact that she was not the only one distressed. Gimli was silent as a stone, the hobbits were pale, their faces tear-streaked… even Aragorn looked apprehensive.  
  
She was unable to resist the urge to hide behind Legolas when the Lady finally appeared, radiant and ethereal in flowing white. The tall elf at the Lady's side was the first to speak, addressing them all sternly and without anything resembling a traditional preamble.  
  
"Nine set out from Rivendell and yet I see only eight of those before me." He began in a scolding tone. "Tell me, where is Gandalf, for I much desire to speak with him. And who are these strangers you seem to have swept up from some forest floor?  
  
Silence. The Fellowship alternated between looking at each other furtively and staring at the pain-stakingly tiled floor. The elf looked about to say something else when Galadriel spoke.  
  
"He has fallen into Shadow… our beloved Mithrandir." She said in statement. "The quest stands upon the edge of a knife… stray but a little and it will fail."  
  
"Oh, that's comforting… no pressure…" Katie mumbled under her breath, ignoring the harsh look she earned from the male elf. Legolas squeezed her hand in mild reprimand.  
  
Galadriel only smiled gently and continued. "Yet hope remains… while the company remains true. We must do what we can to comfort our weary guests at this mournful time."  
  
Her husband nodded thoughtfully. "And who are these wanderers with you… the human and the elfling?"  
  
Legolas very nearly sputtered. "With all due respect Lord Celeborn, I have not been an elfling for almost two thousand years."  
  
"I was not speaking of you, Prince Legolas of Mirkwood… therefore your offense is misplaced." Celeborn's eyes narrowed.  
  
"But he is the only elf among us, sire." Aragorn stood forward as the troop's leader.  
  
Galadriel smiled faintly. "In that you are mistaken."  
  
Any further explanation she might have given was cut off by the sudden flurry of high-pitched barks and growls issuing from Katie's shoulder bag. Maximus had woken up and was apparently not thrilled by the rampant smell of elf all around him.  
  
"Max, hush!" Katie vainly tried to control the min pin. Instead of obeying, he jumped from her arms and scurried across the floor to Galadriel's feet where he feigned nipping at the hem of her dress.  
  
"To whom does this irritating creature belong?" Celeborn demanded, looking as though he would kick the dog in one more second if it continued to bark in such a manner. Maximus growled at him in response, the Fellowship looked at Katie pleadingly.  
  
"Maximus, you're embarrassing me! If you don't stop this instant, I will never feed you again!" Katie jumped forward to scoop the little dog up. The movement was so swift, it caused her hood to fall back to her shoulders.  
  
A strong silence observed even by the dog followed as she slipped him back into her bag, broken only by Jason whispering. "Katie… Katie!"  
  
"What? What'd I do?" she spun around to find everyone staring at her in awe, as though she'd suddenly grown another head.  
  
"You… you are a…" Legolas gasped.  
  
"I'm a what? Out with it!" she was getting paranoid now.  
  
He swallowed. "An elf." It came out in a hushed whisper.  
  
"Elf? I'm no elf!" she insisted.  
  
"Ahem. It would seem that you are, young one." Galadriel pointed out. "Do not be troubled…"  
  
"Don't be troubled?" Katie replied in disbelief, running her hands over her ears to find that they were indeed pointed. "I was a human last I checked and now I'm an elf and you want me not to be troubled?"  
  
Galadriel did not bat an eyelash at the outburst, but Legolas stepped forward, holding her shoulders. "Kate… calm yourself. Be patient. We will unravel this riddle."  
  
Katie looked down and remained for a split second before falling to her knees, the tears suddenly overflowing. This was too much! Legolas knelt with considerably more grace, pulling her into a gentle embrace and letting her cry against his chest. Galadriel's hand rested lightly on her shoulder.  
  
"Hush, young Katyrial… you and your friends are weary with sorrow and much toil. Tonight you may sleep easily within our protected realm. All of Lothlorien will welcome and comfort you." Her voice was soothing and quieted Katie somewhat. "May the stars shine kindly upon your rest."  
  
"Thank you. We are eternally grateful, my Lady." Aragorn said before motioning everyone out.  
  
"Come, Kate…" Legolas whispered gently in her ear. "You need rest… we all do."  
  
Soon, Katie found herself resting against a tree on the forest floor, the grass and leaves surprisingly soft underneath her. The others, even Jason, had left her to her own devices for the most part, each confronting his own grief in his own way. The open weeping of the younger hobbits had lessened and they sat in a huddled circle, leaning on each other's shoulders with thoughtful expressions. Aragorn and Boromir were talking a distance off, Boromir looking particularly upset. Gimli sat not far from the hobbits, slowly sharpening his axe, his gaze distant. Jason had perched on top of a boulder, laying on it with one arm flung over his eyes. Maximus, disturbed by the stiflingly somber mood, lay on Katie's lap nuzzling against her hand to be pet.  
  
Legolas appeared shortly, stripped down to his silvery under-tunic and carrying a gracefully designed pitcher of water with him. A voice softly rose through the trees, over the other singing voices that she had not noticed until just then. Her nerves already raw, Katie started.  
  
"What is that? It's beautiful." She asked.  
  
Legolas' eyes shone. "A lament for Gandalf."  
  
"What do they say about him?" asked Jason softly, his expression one of wonder as he listened to the achingly beautiful song. Elves were known throughout Middle Earth as the creators and singers of hauntingly exquisite music. Katie wondered vaguely why Jason hadn't been turned into an elf… he was the musician after all.  
  
"I have not the heart to tell you." Legolas replied gently. "For me the grief is still too near."  
  
Katie swallowed, closing her eyes and listening to the song intensely, intrigued by the mournful sound and unfamiliar language.  
  
A Olórin i yáresse  
  
Mentaner i Númeheru  
  
Tírien i Rómenóri  
  
Maiaron i Oiosaila  
  
Manan elye etevanne  
  
Nórie i melanelye  
  
Mithrandir Mithrandir A Radir Vithren  
  
ú-reniathach i amar galen  
  
I reniad lín ne mór nuithannen  
  
In gwidh ristennin, i fae narchannen  
  
I lach Anor ed ardhon gwannen  
  
Caled veleg, ethuiannen  
  
The words slowly wrapped themselves around her mind and heart, becoming strangely familiar as they soothed her wounded spirit like no herbal balm could. She could almost make sense of them. They were not one language, but two… the speech of the wood elves and of the high elves… Quenya and Sindarin, like Gandalf had taught her. Only now, it was as if she needed no translator or tutor… she could almost feel the vibrations in her throat… as if she too were singing the lament to honor his memory and appease the hurting souls of her friends.  
  
No… she wasn't imagining it… she was singing! The Elvish music had pulled her from the ground and she had joined it. Her voice while pleasant beforehand, now held a trembling, finer quality to it… like the difference between glass and crystal. She blinked in confusion as the others stared at her, but she continued.  
  
It was not long before she could no longer go on, the grief stealing her voice. She gasped, stepping back to lean against a tree, pressing her cheek against its smooth bark and panting gently.  
  
"Kate… what… how did you… know the song?" Aragorn asked disjointedly.  
  
"I… I don't know. I just knew. Gandalf taught me a little Quenya before… but just a few words." She answered shakily. "What's happening to me?"  
  
Jason rested a hand on her shoulder, the touch oddly heavy to her. "You're an elf, Kate… it's in your blood."  
  
She broke. "No! I am not an elf! Stop saying that!" she yelled, jerking away from him.  
  
"Kate… Jaycen is… we all are just trying to help you." Boromir approached slowly.  
  
"No! Leave me alone! None of you can help!" Katie cried out before dashing away as fast as her legs could carry her. She could not bear them right now… what she needed was Gandalf to change her back. But Gandalf was dead! Being transported from her nice, safe home to this savage place was enough… but to suddenly go from mortal to elf… that sent her over the edge. Wishing to be an elf from the familiar confines of a mortal's form was one thing… but to feel her spirit settling into an Elvish body was disturbing. Her hearing was almost painfully acute… her eyesight too sharp… her movements too fluid. All of her insides felt changed, as though each organ was now constructed of material stronger than mere flesh. Her heart should have been pounding furiously as she ran; yet its beat was only slightly elevated with effort. Her lungs felt as though she could hold her breath for fifteen minutes without getting dizzy.  
  
She kept running, vainly hoping she could outrun the elf inside and out. A fountain came into view and she slowed, not tired but weakening with sorrow and confusion. She sat on the white stone edge, biting her lip and staring at the leaf-littered floor.  
  
Did she look as different as she felt?  
  
With a gulp of nervousness, she leaned over the edge to catch sight of her reflection. To her relief, it was recognizably Kate that looked back, although she was altered somewhat. Her hairline formed a bit more of a widow's peak than before and the once frizzy locks now flowed over her shoulders and back in burnished waves of silk. Blue eyes that were just a shade too pale looked back at her with an expression of worried wonder. The few tiny blemish scars that she had retained from adolescence had smoothed out on her porcelain pale skin. Her ears were more pronounced thanks to the newly pointed tips.  
  
It was Kate maybe… but not Katie… what had Galadriel called her… Katyrial? Looking at her reflection, she had to admit that she looked more like a Katyrial than a Katie. She bit back a sob and closed her eyes, wishing that she could wake up already and end this surreal nightmare.  
  
"Kate?" Legolas' voice stirred her and she looked up at him wearily.  
  
She sniffled in a somewhat un-elvish manner. "I guess… this explains… why I had the sudden urge to climb trees earlier…"  
  
He sat next to her gingerly, his hand seeking hers with the tenacity of an anxious suitor, his face concerned. "Kate, I know this is difficult… but is being an elf truly so reprehensible?"  
  
"Legolas, it's not that." She sighed, her shoulders slumping. "I'm not an elf… I don't even know how to be an elf. And without Gandalf, I'm stuck like this; far from all I know, no longer even the correct race. Immortality is all well and good to wish for… but to actually be immortal? That's downright scary!"  
  
"To live forever… to never know illness… to be a creature of the Light… to have the most finely-tuned senses… to have centuries to devote to whatever skills you wish… these are things to be feared?" he asked, gently cupping her face in his hands and forcing her to meet his eyes.  
  
"To have to endure the inevitable deaths of my mortal friends and beloved cousin… to be overwhelmed by scent and sound… to have to face endless years ahead of me… yes, it's very frightening to one who is used to a mortal's limits." She whispered,, leaning into him as he slowly brought his arms around her. "How can you do it? You say you've lived for nearly three thousand years… how does life still hold any interest for you?"  
  
He smiled tenderly. "It is second nature to us. We Elves take joy in every aspect of life, whether it is the simple pleasure of warm summer rain on your face or the endless delight of eternal love."  
  
She calmed at this thought… when was the last time she had truly enjoyed anything before Jason had brought this elf crashing into her life? As a child, she'd been enthralled by the grass between her toes, a well-spun story from a leather-bound book, and the laughing sparrows of her bird- feeder… but the life of a grown-up had interceded. Perhaps this change was her chance to recapture childhood pleasures and enjoy them as an adult.  
  
"There are a few drawbacks, I suppose." He continued thoughtfully. "If I wanted to be critical, I might point out the ongoing animosity with the Dwarves… and although we are immortal, we can be slain in battle… or…" he paused. "We can… die of a broken heart."  
  
She nuzzled against him, touched by the tender hush to his voice. "Is that something you fear, Legolas? A broken heart?"  
  
"I can think of no more painful way to leave this world." He nodded solemnly, kissing the top of her head.  
  
"What… what was that for?" she raised her face to his, her eyes questioning.  
  
He took a deep breath, his eyes never leaving her. He could drown in those blue eyes as easily as he could drown in the blue of the ocean she loved so much. "Kate… I have been noticeably less than successful at hiding my feelings for you from the others… how is it that you have never noticed?"  
  
Her breath caught and she looked down self-consciously. "I… Legolas… what are you trying to tell me?"  
  
The hint of a smile. "I had never feared a broken heart before… because I had never felt such things for a mortal before. I did not want to… far too many Elves have and have suffered the agony of losing their mortal mates. It is not a pleasant thing to watch… let alone experience. Such a thing would undoubtedly kill me more certainly than any orc."  
  
"Legolas…" she whispered, holding him close, her heart all but bursting. "I had… no idea…"  
  
"Nor did I… not until we returned to Middle Earth. The dark halls of Moria made my heart quail before… as they would any elf. But with you there as well… so frightened… I would sooner have fought the balrog myself than leave you at the bridge." His voice was softer than usual, with a gentle rasp to it.  
  
"I know… I nearly got you killed… all because I was clumsy and afraid of heights…" she bit her lip guiltily.  
  
"I do not regret that risk… I would not regret it even if it had cost me my life, for I would die to protect you, Katyrial… never forget that." Was his quiet reply.  
  
"Katyrial…" she echoed. "What is that? Galadriel called me that earlier…"  
  
"The closest Elvish approximation of your name." He explained. "I believe it suits you… however, if you prefer to remain Katie, I will oblige you."  
  
She leaned over once more, now looking at Legolas' reflection as well as her own. Her head rested over his heart, his cheek nestled against her hair. Pale golden blonde against brilliant auburn created the illusion of flame between them. She had to admit that they did look perfect together, like two halves now made whole. Two elves now… rather than the impossibility of elf and human. Perhaps… if he felt about her as he said he did… immortality was not so scary a thing.  
  
"Katyrial… will do." She answered at last.  
  
"Our reflection…" he commented, following her gaze. "We suit each other… do we not?"  
  
"Yes… as deftly as our hearts mirror each other." She whispered, her eyes searching his through the water.  
  
His eyes closed briefly, as though cherishing the admittance. "Katyrial… mel nya… vanya quen nya[1]." He turned back to her, lifting her face gently, their lips scant inches apart. She could feel his warm breath.  
  
"My prince..." she smiled, girlishly pleased by the idea of her own Prince Charming.  
  
"Yes." He smiled. "Your prince… although it will be a very long time before I am a king."  
  
"King?" she echoed in surprise. "But Jason said you were a princeling… doesn't that mean that you are not Thranduil's heir apparent?"  
  
"I am a princeling because I am not his eldest son, true… but my brother has already declared a reluctance to accept the throne when my father chooses to go over the seas into the Undying Lands. He has asked me and I have told him that I will accept the crown when he is ready to pass it on." He explained. "It will be a very long time before he will decide to go to the West."  
  
"Undying Lands… Elvish laments… new names… it seems I have a lot to learn about being an elf." She sighed.  
  
"Do not be anxious. I will help you." He insisted, kissing her forehead.  
  
"Promise?"  
  
"On my immortal life."  
  
  
  
----------------------- Quenya – "My love… my beautiful one." 


	16. You've got a friend in me...

**Songs of the Elves**

****

By Marie Noire

With apologies to JRR Tolkien!

_You got a friend in me_

_You got a friend in me_

_You got troubles, then I got 'em too_

_There isn't anything I wouldn't do for you_

_We stick together, we can see it through_

_Yeah, you got a friend in me_

- _Toy Story_

With all that had happened, it was little wonder that the Fellowship was reluctant to leave the sanctuary of Lothlorien.  It was a respite that Aragorn allowed them, to everyone's relief.  It seemed that everyone felt some sense of responsibility for Gandalf's death.  Frodo for choosing to go into the mines… Gimli for suggesting them… Pippin for knocking that skeleton over… Kate for panicking in the face of the Balrog… Legolas for saving her rather than Gandalf… Aragorn for not seeing the wizard's plight until it was too late… Boromir for holding Frodo back and not rushing to Gandalf's aid.

Could've…

Would've…

Should've…

The serene forests of Lothlorien offered them all both solace and comfort, things they were in dire need of if they were to ever finish their quest.  Guilt and self-doubt at this point would surely kill them all.  They had to be sharp-witted and quick to react… both qualities that grief had stolen for the time being.

Few of them spoke of it, preferring to confront their fears and worries alone.  The four hobbits discussed things among themselves certainly, assuring each other that they could and would succeed.  The same could be said of Jason and Boromir… the two felt no more need to hide their relationship, much to Kate's relief.  They were not obvious in any way… but passing looks between them were no longer shadowed and brief touched were not hidden.  It was Aragorn's nature to brood on his own and the rest left him to it.  Kate, naturally, clung to Legolas…but oddly longed for Gimli's company as well.

The stout, good-hearted dwarf reminded her comfortably of some sort of paternal grandfather.  Gimli, on the other hand, seemed distinctly distressed by Kate's Elvish transformation.  He unconsciously avoided her, claiming to prefer solitude in which to sort his thoughts.

"I don't understand." She confided to Legolas during an informal lesson in archery.  "I thought Gimli liked me."

"He did." Legolas replied, pulling an arrow from their makeshift target.  "You were a human then… you are an elf now."

"Should that make a difference?" she frowned, taking aim once Legolas had stepped off from her line of fire.

Legolas looked at the ground pensively.  "I have hope that he is asking that very question of himself."

"Why do the Dwarves and Elves hate each other so much anyway?" she asked, letting the arrow fly, striking the target keenly in the center.

"We do not _hate_ each other exactly, we are on the same side after all.  But there is a good amount of distrust between us." He explained.

"Well… why?" she insisted, leaning on her bow.

"It is because…" he drifted off.  "I know not how it all started.  It has always been this way.  Dwarves… they find us too magical… too vain.  According to them, we should just stay in the trees we love so much.  They care little for anything other than their gold and jewels, mining in their dreary mountains."

"So… all of this… is because you have differing opinions about what is pretty?" she scoffed.

"That is an overly simplified explanation, Katyrial." He frowned.  "There have been many instances through the millennia… on both sides."

"Well… tell me this… do you think everything is a joke?  Does the fate of Middle Earth mean nothing to you beyond your beloved trees?" she asked gently.

"Of course not!" he exclaimed.

"Okay… now… do you think Gimli is on this quest with us just to protect his own pile of wealth under his mountain?" she asked just as gently as before, her hands on his shoulders.

He paused, eyes flicking guiltily to the ground. "No… he wants to save Middle Earth as I do."

"And as I do." She nodded, tugging at his sleeves.  "Come on… archery lessons can wait until later.  Let's go find Gimli."

He gave her a half-smile.  "Two elves seeking the friendship of a dwarf… we had best not let this rumor break out."

They found the surly Gimli leaning against a tree near the small pool that lead into the Anduin river.  A few of the Lorien Elves watched him suspiciously from a distance, but the dwarf remained pensive, staring at the gentle waters in the waning sunlight.

"Hey, Gimli!" Kate called cheerfully.

He looked up, startled by the merry greeting.  "Good evening, lady elf." He nodded in bare acknowledgement before turning back to the water.

"Lady elf?" Kate repeated in hurt disbelief.  "Gimli, it's _me_… Kate.  Remember?  I pelted you with paintballs three weeks ago and you threatened to cleave my dog in half."

"I remember…" he nodded dully.

"Good.  Because I don't like you giving me the cold shoulder just because I have pointy ears now." She sat next to him, placing a hand on his arm.

"Cold shoulder?" he asked.

"You've been avoiding me since we got here, Gimli." She sighed.  "You've barely said three words to me.  Why?"

"You are an elf… I am a dwarf…" he pointed out.

"Aragorn's a human… Pippin's a hobbit… and Max is a min pin.  What's your point?" she asked point-blank, meeting his eyes firmly.

He looked up at Legolas grimly.  "Dwarves and elves do not mix well together."

"Says who?"

"Well…"

"I think what Katyrial is trying to say is that our ingrained distrust of each other is no longer appropriate, not that is ever truly was.  In this case, it may be dangerous." Legolas explained, sitting to Gimli's other side.  "We will find it difficult to fight for each other if we cannot trust each other, can we?"

Gimli looked at the ground.  "True enough."

"Besides… I'm still the same person who goofed around with you in Ocean City… I just have pointy ears now, that's all."  Kate smiled, rising.  "Come on, both of you… we need a little bonding activity… something fun.  We've all be sulking for too long."

"Dwarves do not sulk."

"Nor do Elves."

Kate rolled her eyes.  "See?  You've got more in common than you think.  Now let's have a little fun?"

"How?" Legolas asked tentatively.

"Well… like this." She grinned before dashing off and jumping, fully clothed into the pool with a tremendous splash.

It seemed like it had been a lifetime since she last felt the cool embrace of water surrounding her.  She could almost tangibly feel her worries being eased away by watery fingers.  Things would be all right… they had to be… the alternative was unthinkable.

She surfaced to take a breath, only to find neither Gimli nor Legolas on the shore where she expected them to be.  She didn't see them at all in fact.

"Ai!" Legolas' shout startled her as he jumped at her from behind, pushing her under the water briefly.  "_That_, elfling, is for teasing me in Ocean City."

"Hey!" she protested, splashing him.  "Not fair!  I didn't sneak up on you!"

Gimli chuckled, apparently reassured by the elves' good humor.  "To think that any dwarf should see two elves bickering."

Kate stuck out her tongue at him in a blatantly unelvish manner.  "Come over here and say that, shorty."  

With a grin, he did just that.  Kate pounced on him and tried desperately to shove him underwater.  He didn't budge an inch, not even when she threw most of her weight down on his shoulders.  Legolas swam back, laughing at her antics.

"It is no good, Katyrial.  H will not move unless he wants to."

"Rasanfrackin, stubborn dwarves…" Kate muttered, firmly put in her place.

Gimli laughed outright.  "Built like a rock."

"And just as hard-headed."

"That too."


	17. Once and for all...

**Songs of the Elves**

****

By Marie Noire

With apologies to JRR Tolkien!

_Once for all we'll be there to defend one another_

_Once and for all every kid is a friend, every friend a brother_

_Five thousand fists in the sky_

_Five dozen reasons to try_

_We're going over the wall_

_Better to die than to crawl_

_Either we stand or we fall_

_For once, once and for all_

_- Newsies_

The time came, much sooner than expected, for the Fellowship to continue on towards Mordor.  In response to Aragorn's announcement that they would leave with the following day, Galadriel bid that each of them should see her privately.  At Kate's nervous concerns, all assured her that the Lady of the Woods likely onlt had some choice words of advice for each of them.

Kate shivered as she stepped forward into Galadriel's chambers, feeling oddly as though she should kneel or curtsey or some such thing.  Instead, she managed to pull her eyes from the floor and meet the older immortal's eyes.

"You… called for me, my lady?"

Galadriel nodded, smiling gently.  "I did.  You need have no fear of me, young Katyrial.  You are of my blood, therefore I will not harm you."

Kate nodded shakily.  "Forgive me, my lady.  I'm not yet used to being an elf."

Galadriel nodded in apparent understanding, beckoning her forward. "Come closer, young one.  I have some gifts for you."

"Gifts?  Of what sort, my lady?"

"Of the useful sort.  You have no weapons as your brave companions do and you lack other basic supplies; something we should remedy.  I have deemed that these should serve you well on your journey within Middle Earth." The Lady gestured towards a table, where a host of supplies had spontaneously appeared.

Kate gasped and tentatively reached out a hand.  Among the items was an exquisitely wrought bow of wood so light it was almost white, with gilded designs on its polished surface… and a leather quiver filled with fine arrows, each guiding feather slid into the slender shaft with obvious attention to efficiency and speed.

"My lady…" she breathed.  "You are too kind.  These are valuable items."

"Your gratitude is welcomed, however I am not yet finished.  This cloak will allow you to all but disappear within the forests.  You will need gauntlets to wield the bow efficiently… and the short sword will serve you when your bow cannot." Galadriel pointed out.

Kate nodded.  "Thank you, my lady.  I will try to use them well… to help Frodo on his quest."

Galadriel smiled at the new elf.  "You are an extraordinary child, Katyrial."

Kate looked down with a blush.  "I imagine so… how many humans have been suddenly turned into elves?  I don't even look like an elf."

"Yet you have the heart of an elf.  The soul.  You feel your friends' pains as if they were your own… your soul is more gentle than those of the humans…" the Lady insisted, moving to her side to delicately lift a small wooden box from the table.  It was about the size of a small jewelry box, stained lightly with scalloped edges and an intricate leaf-like design on the top.  Two small jewels glittered like fiery diamonds from the corners.

"One last gift for you, Katyria New-Elf." Galadriel spoke softly before opening the box to reveal a small pendant of some kind resting on a pillow of ivory-colored velvet.  "The Heart of Lorien… this amulet will give you instant sanctuary within any Elvish community.  As it will comfort you in times of great despair.  Use it well, young one… for you will have need of it."

Kate's breath caught as she lifted the necklace from the box.  It was the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen… an elegantly turned sliver of gold that curled to form a tiny, circular cage that mimicked the twists of a vine.  Inside was a glass crystal that caught every available light and seemed to glow as though an infinitesimal star was held captive within.

"My lady…I…thank you." Kate stumbled slightly as Galadriel placed the necklace over her head.

"You are most welcome, Katyrial… go now and see my handmaiden, Lustinawen… she shall bind your hair for your journey." Galadriel dismissed her regally, sending the overwhelmed elf scampering for the door.

When Kate left Galadriel's chambers, she certainly looked the part of an Elvish archer.  Galadriel's handmaiden had woven her hair into an intricate French style braid on the top half of her head to keep it out of her face, leaving the rest to flow down her back.  Behind either ear, a section of hair had been twisted into shiny, auburn ropes, not unlike Legolas' braids.  Looking into the mirror beforehand, Kate was oddly pleased by her reflection… she felt sufficient, no longer helpless as she was in Moria.  The bow strapped to her back and the amulet around her neck stiffened her resolve as she approached the others already waiting on the river's edge.

"Katie…" Jason smiled, holding her by the shoulders.  "Stunning, cuz… orcs will run in terror."

She smiled back, feeling a little more at ease. "Doubt it… but at least I can defend myself now."

"All the same," Legolas stepped forward, his eyes shining despite his determined expression.  "I should ask that you would stay close to me and Gimli."

She nodded. "So long as Jason remains near Boromir for the same reason.  His skills may be sharper than mine, but we are both strangers in this world."

Jason agreed.  "Of course.  I was planning on it anyway."

Three Lorien boats, each with the carved bow of a swan; Aragorn took the lead with Frodo and Sam, Frodo looking particularly withdrawn and despondent.  Boromir and Jason were next with Merry and Pippin between them, each man wielding an oar.  Lastly, Legolas, Gimli, and Katie.  There was some argument over who would row the boat, Gimli not being one to sit and be an idle passenger for any length of time.  However, Legolas pointed out that, while strong and sure, the dwarf's arms simply weren't long enough for him to efficiently pull the boat all day.  Gimli grumbled, but let the elf have his way in the end.

Katie sat at the front of the boat, facing backwards so she could look at her companions.  Gimli looked weary and Katie expressed concern.

"It's nothing, Kate… nothing a little rest would not cure." He waved her worry away.

"You did not sleep well in Lothlorien?" she asked.  "I am surprised.  I never slept so well in my life while in the forests."

He shrugged.  "Sleeping above ground does not often agree with dwarves."

"Ah… you are accustomed to complete darkness, then.  The moon and starlight kept you awake?" she nodded, considering.

"Elves are the opposite." Legolas volunteered.  "Absolute darkness upsets us."

"Well you sleep with your eyes open anyway." Gimli snorted in a friendly fashion.

"You do?" Kate squeaked.

Legolas nodded.  "In a manner of speaking.  We do not sleep as humans and dwarves define it.  Elves slip into a state somewhat like a trance; our eyes remain open and our senses alert, but our minds are elsewhere, reliving happy memories."

"That explains why I dreamt about my sixth birthday so vividly last night." Kate whistled.

Legolas laughed.  "Reverie… we call it reverie."

"As Jason would put it 'the lights are on but no one's home'." She quipped, watching Maximus crawl out of her bag and scamper around the bottom of the boat, whining for Gimli to pet him.

"Something like that." Gimli muttered.  "Is this 'dog' of yours daft?  He will not leave me in any peace!"

"He likes you for some reason." Kate shrugged.  "Must be your magnetic personality."

Gimli shot her a withering glance before sweeping the min pin up in one thick hand.  "Now listen to me, you little beast!  Leave me be, or so help me, I will toss your little hide right into the Anduin!"

Maximus regarded the dwarf seriously for a moment, then proceeded to lick Gimli's nose.  Gimli blinked in surprise and sighed, settling the dog on his lap. "You win, little one… ai, defeated by a lick to the nose…"

"How do you think he got me to take him home?" Kate asked merrily.

They traveled from dawn until the sun was just a sliver of red above the trees.  Kate's back and arms ached with a dull fire as she steered the boat ashore at Aragorn's command.  She was exhausted physically, yet her mind was still alert.  A prickling sensation nagged behind her ears, as it had been for several hours, and she did a slow 360 degree turn, searching the trees for a threat.  She could see none… but the anxiety did not cease.  Quietly, she pulled Legolas aside at her first chance, once the forests were quiet and everyone had settled around the small campfire.

"Come with me for a moment, please?" she asked, grasping his sleeve.

He nodded and followed her a little ways off, out of earshot, but still within view of the fire.  "What troubles you, Katyrial?"

"I didn't want to alarm the others." She sighed.  "Maybe it's just my imagination, but I feel edgy… like we're being watched or followed… and not by anything friendly."

He looked up at the darkened forest searchingly.  "I have felt it as well.  We are in danger, I think… but I know not from what."

"Orcs?" she suggested.

"Possibly… I might even go so far as to say likely." He sighed.

"What do we do?"

"Nothing… only remain vigilant.  We must not allow the enemy to catch us off guard."

She took a deep breath, biting back a retort, dismayed by the idea of waiting for the enemy like sitting ducks.  What she had already seen of melee combat unnerved her to begin with… skirmishing with orcs again, even with weapons in hand, fairly made her tremble.

"I have an idea…" she whispered.  "But I want to run it by Jason first… see what he thinks."

Legolas' brow furrowed.  "What does Jason know of battles that we do not?"

She smiled.  "An addiction to computer strategy games and an intimate knowledge of every war movie since John Wayne's time."

"What?"

"You'll see.  If I'm right… you'll see."

After much discussion, Jason gave Kate a disgruntled go ahead, despite misgivings.  Her original plan had been pared down at Jason's suggestion.  He had insisted on keeping it small so that if it failed, the company could still escape with their skins intact.

With some semblance of a plan in mind, Kate was able to calm herself somewhat and rest.  However, she still insisted on taking her respite in a very human manner; under a blanket with her eyes closed.  Legolas chuckled at her and received an attack from a min pin as a result.

Almost a week passed in much the same manner; rising with the sun to a quick breakfast and rowing the boats down the Anduin until twilight.  In the spirit of both fellowship and safety, they always remained close, each boat no more than a few yards off from the next.  Luckily, the weather remained abnormally fine for almost early February (according the Jason) and the skies were bright above them.  The rest in Lothlorien and the lack of any immediate threats served to cheer them.  They bantered with each other, telling jokes and singing songs.  Sam in particular proved to be quite adept at making up ballads on the spot.  Jason talked Kate into singing the entirety of _Les Miserables _to pass the time.  Even Gimli joined in, telling ancient Dwarven tales of the mountains.  After so many true stories of dragons, orcs, goblins, and the like… she was almost wishing for an old-fashioned terrorist with an Uzi.

Nothing, not even a spring break in London could've prepared her for the gates of Argonath.  The pair of stone kings loomed ahead for hours before the boats actually passed them, their arms outstretched towards them.

"Wow… those are… incredible.  But why are they out here in the middle of nowhere?" Kate asked softly, staring up at the somber faces.

"They mark the beginning of Gondor's northern border.  These two statues are Aragorn's ancestors… Isildur and Anarion, great kings of the past who guard this path." Gimli supplied, clearly appreciative of the stone work involved in making the massive statues.

Once they passed the great gates, Aragorn motioned for everyone to pull ashore.  Confused by the early rest, but thankful nonetheless, Katie stepped out of the boat and stretched.

"We will wait here and cross to the eastern shore at nightfall.  Then we will hide the boats and continue on foot." Aragorn explained wearily.

"Oh yes?" Gimli challenged, proceeding to describe Aragorn's prescribed path in disgusted detail.

A new wave of unease flowed over Kate like ice water, making her straighten and look up at the trees warily.  Legolas had felt it to, for he quickly sided over to Aragorn.

"We should leave now." He suggested, his voice urgent.

"No." Aragorn disagreed.  "Orcs patrol the eastern shore.  We will need the cover of night."

"It is not the eastern shore that worries me." Legolas whispered.  "A shadow and a threat has been growing in my mind.  Something draws near… I can feel it."

"As do I." Kate volunteered.  "The forests are too quiet behind us.  Something terrible is going to happen if we stay too long."

Aragorn sighed, knowing the elves' senses to be keener than his.  "Night is but a few hours off.  I know well that you both are attuned to threat more so than any of us.  We will have to wait and hope for the best."

"Where's Frodo?" Merry's question interrupted any further discussion.

Sam started guiltily from his sound sleep and Jason was the first to notice that Boromir was also missing.

"I'm worried." Jason frowned.  "He's been acting weird recently… his mind wandered far to easily the past few days."

Kate swallowed against another frigid wave of dread.  "Jay… I think it's time we put our plan into action… now."

Jason paled slightly.  "You sure you're up to it, cuz?"

"Yes… I think so." Kate nodded.

"Plan?" Aragorn echoed, looking between them.  "What plan?"

"A little modern US warfare." Kate replied, staring up at the trees in an assessing manner before standing under one large one.  "This one should do well… thick enough to hold me… too thick to be chopped down easily… lots of foliage."

"You are choosing now to climb the trees?" Legolas asked in disbelief as Kate pulled herself up onto the lowest branches.  "Katyrial, now is not the time to be scampering through the branches."

"Oh, trust me… there is very little scampering involved in being a sniper, my dear Legolas." Kate shook her head as she continued up, pleased by how easily it came to her.

"Sniper?" Gimli repeated.  "What the devil is a… sniper?"

"An individual with a ranged weapon who is hidden.  Katie can alert us of any incoming threat and pick them off before they even know where she is.  It's called sniping… guerilla warfare… very useful in dense area like this." Jason explained.  "You wouldn't happen to be able to see Boromir or Frodo from up there can you?"

"Keep your shirt on." She called back, scanning between the trees for any movement that could be the hobbit or the Gondorian.  "There!  They're both over that way… west by northwest…Frodo doesn't look too happy… and neither does Boromir frankly.  You might want to get over there and get them back, Aragorn."

In the distance, she could see the human suddenly leap upon the hobbit, fighting with him, obviously trying the wrench the One Ring from him.  

"Shit!  Jason!  Boromir's attacking Frodo!  Go get them!  Run!" Kate yelled frantically, urging her cousin on as he took off through the brush and trees.


	18. Let us die facing out foes...

**Songs of the Elves**

****

By Marie Noire

With apologies to JRR Tolkien

_Let us die facing our foes_

_Make them bleed while we can_

_Make them pay through the nose_

_Make them pay for every man_

_Let others rise to take our place_

_Until the earth is free!_

_- Les Miserables___

What happened next was so fast that even Kate could not quite say what had happened.  One minute she was charting Aragorn's progress towards Frodo and Jason's progress towards Boromir… the next, the forest was swarming with orcs!  These were not the gremlin-like creatures they had fought in Moria, these orcs were taller, heavier, better armed… and out in the daylight!  From her perch in the trees, Katie fired arrow after arrow, stunned by her own Elvish aim.  The Fellowship scattered and she could no longer see any of the hobbits.  Concerned as she was with killing off any snarling orcs that seemed about to overpower one of her friends, she failed to notice Boromir a good distance off, struggling mightily to protect Merry and Pippin.  It took a blast from his horn to gain her full attention.

"The Horn of Gondor!" Legolas cried out.  "Kate!  Which way is he?"

"There!" she pointed.  "Hurry!  He's got Merry and Pip with him!  But they're outnumbered!"

Aragorn and Jason sped off towards the sound, but Gimli and Legolas had their own orcs to deal with.  Kate reached behind her for more arrows, hoping to clear a path for them.  But there were so many!

"Little she-elf!  In the tree!" one of the orcs spotted her and sent up the warning.

A flurry of arrows sang past her, striking the tree and whipping through the leaves.  Kate shrieked and climbed higher as seven orcs gathered around the base, growling and mumbling about the things they would do to her when they caught her.  Kate's heart shook and tears stung behind her eyes as she climbed, more arrows whizzing past her ears.  One grazed her arm and she yelped, nearly losing her grip on the branches.  She wanted to scream for Legolas, but her voice caught in her throat…the pendant around her neck had begun to glow softly, warming her cheeks.  Like an unseen pair of hands massaging away knotted muscles, her fears were eased away in a second.

She had to get away from these evil things herself.  Taking a deep breath, she shot out over a sturdy branch, running along its rough surface nimbly.  The orcs below roared and tried to follow her path from the ground, aiming their bows at her vainly.  She ran and jumped from tree to tree like a squirrel, never slowing down to check on her would-be captors.

Her luck deserted her in one shot, a branch snapping from underneath her and sending her crashing down to the forest floor.  She landed with a thud and skies above swam fuzzily, her body stunned by the impact.  Her shock did not last long, the sound of running footsteps prompting her to her feet.  The orcs had seen her fall and four of them were closing in!

Knowing that her bow would do no good, Kate drew her short sword and took off running, leaping over fallen orcs and tree limbs.  In her bag, Maximus barked and growled at her pursuers, incensed that anyone should threaten his owner.  It was only due to her heightened senses that Kate noticed the little dog leap from his safe carry-all and race back towards the hulking, sword-bearing orcs.

"Max!" she slid to a stop and did an abrupt about-face, taking off after her entirely-too-brave pet.  The dog's small size and loud barks confused the orcs and they halted, struggling to pick out the min pin as he zipped around them, growling.

One finally grew tired of Max's antics and seized the little dog harshly, causing his to yelp in pained surprise.  Before he could hurt him any further however, an arrow screamed through the air and struck him right between the eyes.  He fell dead to the ground, dropping Max and leaving his comrades to stare at an enraged she-elf.

Sword drawn, pendant flaming, and eyes glittering with fury, Kate stood ready to fight.  "Don't.  Touch.  My.  Dog."

Without any further warning, she lunged at them, wielding her sword with graceless severity.  But fine or otherwise, her anger served her.  The orcs had not expected their prey to fight back so fiercely before they could corner her.  They backed away as she fought them; in her turn, Kate knew that she could not hold them off once their surprise dispersed.  Quick as lightning, she snatched Maximus up and dashed up the nearest tree, leaving behind a triad of confused and frustrated orcs.  Still dangerously angry, Kate took full advantage of her position and drew an arrow, shooting another orc without a sound.  Two more shots and his comrades fell as well.

The forest was quiet, eerily so.  Kate slid from the tree and raced off, running silently over the ground.  Gimli quickly came into view, wrenching his axe from the chest of a dead orc.

"Gimli!" she called.  "Are you okay?  Where is everyone?"

Gimli grinned at her, apparently relieved by her sudden appearance.  "It'll take more than a bunch of war-painted orcs to take me.  Legolas is over there retrieving his arrows.  Last I saw, Aragorn and Jason were headed that way."

"Then we should head that way too, don't you think?" she suggested, feeling oddly elated from the fight and almost eager for more.

Gimli looked at her appraisingly.  "You are a strange elf, Kate… anxious for more fight."

She shrugged.  "C'mon… let's go make sure everyone else is okay.  Legolas!  Save some arrows for me and come on!"

Legolas joined them eagerly.  "We ran out of orcs."

"I hate it when that happens." Kate replied.

"My apologies… I killed more than my share." Gimli grunted mock-seriously.

"You?" Legolas coughed.  "All you did was swing an axe around.  My arrows hit many more orcs than you did."

"That so?" Gimli growled in friendly argument.  "I think you elves are just too vain to admit when you've been bested."

"I will admit that I have been bested if and when it occurs, friend dwarf." Legolas insisted, his grey eyes glinting mischievously.

 "Oh stuff it, you two."  Kate sighed.  "Honestly… males… next time just keep a count of how many orcs you take and then argue all you want over who caused the most havoc."

"Agreed.  I will run you into the ground, friend-elf." Gimli nodded in challenge.

"We shall see, friend-dwarf."

"Let's get going, friend-morons." Kate tossed out, skipping ahead before either male could react.

"Ai!  You conniving little she-troll!"  Legolas called in teasing anger as he chased after her.  "You will pay for that comment!"

"You have to catch me first, princeling!" she yelled over her shoulder, scampering towards where Aragorn and Jason had run during the skirmish.

She stopped dead in her tracks, nearly pitching over when she reached a clearing.  The bodies of dead and dying orcs littered the forest floor, leaves black with their inky blood.  But that was not what stopped her. 


	19. Come with me, where chains will never bi...

**Songs of the Elves**

****

By Marie Noire

With apologies to JRR Tolkien!

_Come with me where chains will never bind you_

_All your grief at last, at last behind you_

_Lord in Heaven, look down on him in mercy_

_Forgive him all his trespasses_

_And take him to Your glory_

_Take my hand, I'll lead you to salvation_

_Take my love, for love is everlasting_

_And remember the truth that once was spoken_

_To love another person is to see the face of God_

_- Les Miserables___

Aragorn kneeling to his right and Jason to his left, Boromir lay on the ground… four thick-shafted arrows protruding sharply from his chest, each stained crimson with fresh blood.  He was deathly pale, his lips slowly turning white and, although Kate could not make out his exact words, she could hear the desperate pain in his voice as blood filled his collapsing lungs.  He was dying before their eyes.

Kate froze, her bow falling from her nerveless hand.  Legolas and Gimli joined her in stunned silence, their spirited banter ceasing in a second.  She could hear Aragorn say something about the White City… about not letting their people fail.  Boromir struggled to remain alert, bringing the hilt of his blood-blackened sword to his chest in homage, apparently accepting the dark ranger as his King.

A quick, honorable kiss to the dying Gondorian's forehead and Aragorn backed away, thoughtfully allowing Boromir and Jason a few final moments.  Kate bit back a sob as the two drew closer, their foreheads touching gently.  In such close proximity to the bruised and bearded Boromir, Jason looked achingly young with his clean-shaven face and wide eyes… almost like an elf himself.  Legolas' hands slipped onto her shoulders tenderly.  As Jason and Boromir shared one last kiss, Kate leaned back against Legolas' chest, closing her eyes and taking comfort in his strong, steady heartbeat.

Boromir was dead… but it could have easily been any of them to fall under the orcs' attack.  It could have been Jason, or herself… or Legolas.  Watching her beloved cousin lose his so recently-discovered lover… Kate felt a deep pang of guilt.  She and Legolas both had profound feelings for each other, unlike anything she had ever experienced before.  If it had been either one of them who had come under such a brutal attack…they would have missed out on an intense and possibly life-long love.  And why?  Because she was too timid to accept the elf's attentions?  Because she was afraid of this strange, new world?  Because some part of her wanted to go home?

Every hour, that desire in her heart to go back grew more dim… like the echo of a song that she half-knew and recognized only in passing.  She placed a hand over one of Legolas' and squeezed softly before moving away from him.

She slowly approached her abject cousin as he slumped, Boromir's hand still in his.  Jason's shoulders shook as he struggled to remain steadfast in the face of his lover's death.  She could feel his heart breaking under the new burden… no one in their family evenly remotely close had ever died… and certainly none had been taken by violence.  Kate knelt behind Jason, wrapping her arms around him gently.

"Jason… grieve.  There's no reason to keep your sorrow a secret." She whispered, stroking his hair.

He broke then, leaning forward towards Boromir's still-warm body, one hand tentatively stroking the other man's face, as though vainly searching for some sign of life.  But the reddened arrows jutting out from Boromir's chest did not lie… he was dead.

"I should… I should have been there… he was looking for Pip and Merry… I volunteered to go after Sam… when the orcs attacked… why?  I should've stayed with him!  I knew he was upset about Frodo!  I shouldn't have left him!" he sobbed dispiritedly.

"No, Jason.  You could not have done anything to change this." She insisted.

"Katie… it's like September 11th all over again!  Why was he taken and I was spared?  Why couldn't it have been the other way around?  He was much braver than me… better skilled… why am I still here and he's not?" he roared suddenly, tears marking his face pale through the dirt.

"I don't know, Jay… no one does." She sighed, massaging his shoulders gently.  "That's what faith and hope are for, I guess."

"Hope… he said that his people… the people of Gondor had no hope left… that he wanted-wanted to restore it…" Jason said, still weeping.

Aragorn stepped forward.  "And restore it we shall, Jaycen… with your help, I can keep my vow to him not to let the White City fall."

Kate rose, allowing the exiled king to kneel next to Jason and take his hands.  "Will you honor Boromir's memory and help me?  As you loved him… then show the same devotion to that which he loved so dearly."

Jason swallowed the last of his cries and met Aragorn's eyes evenly, comforted by the tears that still shone.  "With all my heart… I will."

"Come…" Katie said gently.  "We will not leave him on the forest floor for the scavengers."

"But the ground is too hard." Gimli protested softly, for once not wanting to sound gruff.  "And we have no tools for digging a grave."

"We will not dig a grave." Kate replied, pulling Jason into a standing position.  "Jason… you said he was fascinated by your tales of the Vikings… do you think a Viking burial would please him?"

A slight smile through the tears.  "I do… thanks, cuz."

With help, Jason managed to arrange Boromir's body in one of the Lorien boats, his hands clasped over the hilt of his sword as it rested over his heart.  Kate cleaned him as best she could, wiping his face and hands clear of dirt, sweat, and blood.  She even went so far as to comb the Gondorian's hair so that it settled into light brown locks around his handsome face.  It was Jason and Aragorn who slowly pushed the boat out onto the Anduin.  As the two returned ashore to watch the boat disappeat with the river's current, over the edge of a great waterfall, Kate closed her eyes, a song already forming in her heart and begging to be sent into the air on an Elvish voice.

It was a song she had heard over a dozen times in the Imperial Theater in New York… the finale from _Les Miserables, _starting with the angelic Fantine and continuing with the entire cast.  Jason, grieved though he was, managed to join her, his own sensual tenor complimenting her voice gently.  To Kate's great surprise, Legolas took up a placid counterpoint, his quavering voice and native tongue adding a new, otherworldly quality to the Broadway musical's aching lament.  Aragorn and Gimli stood in respectful silence, heads bowed thoughtfully.

Jason was the first to cease, remorse stealing his voice from the final notes.  Kate finished the _Les Miz _selection and then merged her voice with Legolas', singing soft syllables under the Quenya.  The two elves joined hands, their voices beseeching the Valar to look after Boromir's soul and soothe the wounded spirits of those left behind.

They stood in silence for a long while, until Aragorn broke the reverie by pointed across the river to where Frodo and Sam were hurrying away from their boat.

"Now where do they think they're going?" Kate wondered aloud.

"If we make haste, we may catch up to them." Legolas said as he began to push the remaining boat into the water.  When Aragorn made n move to follow, he paused.  "You mean… not to go after them?"

"Frodo's fate is no longer in our hands." Aragorn sighed, slowly handing Boromir's leather gauntlets to Jason.  The still silent human took them gratefully, slipping them on.

"Then.. it has all been in vain.  The Fellowship has failed." Gimli grumbled as Legolas looked between his comrades, clearly distressed.  

Aragorn shook his dark head, gathering everyone into a circle.  "Not so long as we hold true to each other.  We will not leave Merry and Pippin to torment and death.  Not while we still have strength left."

"Damn straight." Jason finally spoke, clapping Aragorn on the back.

"I'm in." Kate nodded.

"Come then, leave everything that can be spared behind.  We will travel light." Aragorn instructed, gathering his weapons up.  "Let us hunt some orc."

Legolas and Kate looked at Gimli questioningly.  The dwarf answered with a challenging roar proclaiming his desire for the fight.

Taking only what they could carry, they struck off in the direction the orcs had gone, searching for clues as they went.  The trail was easy enough to follow, for the orcs took no pains to cover their tracks, broken branches and trampled vegetation marked their passage clearly.

Kate and Legolas led, nimbly weaving through the trees and over the odd rock.  Kate was almost starting to enjoy being an elf; the agility was a definite bonus and with battle-fired adrenaline running through her veins, she felt as though she could well into the night.  It was only the steadfast and somber expression on her cousin's face that kept her in check.

"Here!" Legolas called out, seizing upon something on the ground.  A cloak-clasp, shaped like a green leaf and slightly tarnished on the left side.

"That's Pippin's." Kate insisted.  "He's been toying with it since he got it in Lothlorien… that's why it's discolored."

"This was not torn off." Legolas thought aloud.  "It was dropped deliberately."

"He's leaving us a trail to follow… see how the group broke off into two?  Pippin's brooch is his way of telling us which way they took him and Merry." Jason nodded.

"Let us follow that way then… night is falling fast." Aragorn ordered.


	20. Ah! I desire!

Songs of the Elves  
  
By Marie Noire  
  
With apologies to J.R.R. Tolkien!  
  
O môr henion i dhûr  
  
Ely siriar, êl síla  
  
Ai! Aníron...  
  
Tiro! Êl eria e môr  
  
I'lîr en êl luitha 'uren  
  
Ai! Aníron...  
  
From darkness, I understand the night  
  
Dreams flow, a star shines  
  
Ah! I desire…  
  
Look! A star rises out of the darkness  
  
The song of the star that enchants my heart  
  
Ah! I desire…  
  
Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring  
  
  
  
What had once been a formidable company of eleven was not reduced to a mere five; Aragorn, Jason, Gimli, Legolas, and Katie. Things were suitably solemn among them as a result. Although they feared for Frodo and Sam, they knew that they could no longer aid them. Merry and Pippin were the more pressing matter now. They had hope that the two hobbits were still alive, for they had not found any corpses, not had they found anything else except for Pip's brooch.  
  
Night fell quickly, the sun hiding her face from the tragedies she had witnessed. Still, Aragorn urged them on, following the trail of flattened brush that was the orcs' trail. It was past midnight by Kate's figuring when Aragorn finally relented and agreed to stop until dawn for some rest. After Gandalf's death and the more recent loss of Boromir, they all wanted to remain keen and ready for anything.  
  
"Should we build a fire?" Kate asked wishing for a good flashlight. "Or would that be too dangerous?"  
  
Aragorn sighed. "We are following the orcs, not the other way around… but there are likely to be other unsavory creatures around this close to Mordor.  
  
Legolas lifted his face to the moonlight, concentrating. "I do not feel any immediate threats… and a fire would be preferable to this chill air."  
  
Aragorn nodded. "A small one then. And I want no one wandering off tonight."  
  
"Yes, mommy." Jason mumbled out of sarcastic habit.  
  
Legolas and Aragorn volunteered to go searching for firewood, leaving the other three to wait in a small clearing. Kate cuddled against Jason, shivering in the night air. Absently, he responded with an arm across her shoulders.  
  
"You okay?" she asked softly.  
  
He shook his head. "No… I'm not okay… but I'll live."  
  
"Jay… you know what I mean."  
  
He sighed. "Yeah, I know… I just… God… I never expected this to happen. I mean, I knew this was a dangerous quest… but I guess… I still had a healthy immortality complex."  
  
Kate smiled gently. "Meanwhile, I'm redefining the term."  
  
"Yeah… but at least now you're out of excuses."  
  
"Excuses for what?" she asked.  
  
"For not being with Legolas."  
  
"I am with Legolas… he's right over there… somewhere."  
  
"You know what I mean, Katie. You've been attracted to him since you met him and your only argument against pursuing it was that he was an immortal. Now, you are too."  
  
"I know, I know…" Kate sighed.  
  
"So do something about it… you never know… what might happen… tomorrow."  
  
"Please… don't say it. I've already thought of it." Kate shivered.  
  
"I'm telling you, Katie… things being what they are… this is no time to be hesitant."  
  
She took a deep breath. "I know… you're right. I… I'll try, I guess."  
  
"Tonight?"  
  
"No time like the present, right?"  
  
"That's my girl."  
  
Once Aragorn and Legolas returned and the fire was started, Kate discreetly made her way to Legolas' side, desperately trying to think of a way to open this particular Pandora's box. How on earth did one seduce an elf anyway? After a brief period of wrestling with herself, she chickened out and retreated to her pallet sulkily. Gimli, Jason, and Aragorn had already claimed their pallets and were out cold, by the sounds of soft snores. Kate tossed restlessly, frustrated by her own cowardice.  
  
"Can you not rest, Katyrial?" Legolas' soft comment made her twist around sharply. He was kneeling to her side, his fair face concerned.  
  
"No… thinking." She sat up, resting her elbows on her knees, noting vaguely that the silvery under-tunic he wore made him look younger.  
  
"What troubles you?" he asked, placing two slender finger under her chin gently.  
  
"A shorter answer would be what isn't troubling me." She sighed, meeting his ancient eyes warily.  
  
"Yet there is something specific that disturbs your rest this night. What is it?" he insisted.  
  
"Just… something Jason said." She mumbled, looking away.  
  
"And what did your philosophic cousin say?"  
  
"In a nutshell… that I should beware of taking certain things for-granted… especially with things being as dangerous as they are for us right now."  
  
His grey eyes flicked to the ground briefly. "Meaning… that either… any of us may perish in the coming days. That we must savor what we have."  
  
"More or less." She nodded, swallowing. "Although he meant… you and me… in particular."  
  
A moment of brooding silence. "Then… you have thought of it as well?"  
  
"Depends on what it is."  
  
He smiled softly at her response. "The two of us… together… meeting as river and stream to become one."  
  
She shivered at the tone his voice had taken, deeper than his normal timbre. "Yes, I've… thought of it."  
  
"And so have I." He leaned forward, brushing his lips over hers in a heated rush of moist air. At her small sound of encouragement, his mouth met hers more fully. It was like no kiss Kate had ever experienced before and her lips tingled with electric anticipation. She could recall no kiss as soft, or as intense. She could feel his heartbeat in that simple gesture, know his fears.  
  
She drew back slowly, stunned, her fingertips drifting over Legolas' lips in an almost reverent caress. He mumbled something in his native tongue and kissed her fingertips.  
  
"Legolas…" she sighed, reluctant to play sensible and bring this sweetness to an end. "We can't… the others…"  
  
"Will not wake to see us… nor shall they hear us…" he assured her, pulling her up into a standing position. "Come with me…"  
  
"But… Aragorn said not to…" she protested half-heartedly.  
  
"We will not go far, I promise." He whispered. "What we have to share, I would not let any but Nature witness."  
  
She followed him silently, secretly thrilled by the suddenness of it, by the idea of making love outdoors… with Legolas. They chose a spot where they could still see the fire and would hear if anyone called for them. Under an ancient oak tree, the leaves had fallen in such a thick blanket upon the ground that it was virtually a bed.  
  
Kate hesitated, her practical side banging against the cage that her Elvish heart had banished it to. She swallowed… this would be the point of no return, would it not? Once she'd laid her body and heart open to the elf at her side, there was no retrieving either. Legolas sensed her caution and turned towards her, taking her hands in his.  
  
"Katyrial… if you do not wish this, only tell me." He breathed.  
  
"I do wish it… but…" she bit her lip.  
  
He smiled gently. "You wonder at my intentions perhaps?"  
  
"Since when do elves read minds?"  
  
"We cannot. But at this moment, the expression in your eyes is telling enough."  
  
"Well… maybe… a little." She admitted.  
  
"Then allow me to declare them." He said, kneeling among the leaves with her hands still in his. He took a deep breath and looked up at her, his grey eyes shining. "I have never encountered another like you, Katyrial… human or elf. You make my heart soar, despite the grave quest we are on. You already know that I would gladly give my life for you… now know that I have lost my heart to you as well. That I would bind myself to you eagerly, make you a princess and someday the queen of Mirkwood."  
  
Kate gasped. "Legolas… are you serious?"  
  
He nodded. "In matters of love, I am always serious, Katyrial."  
  
"Love?" she repeated in a bare whisper, her heart suddenly trembling.  
  
"Love… I love you, Katyrial… with all of my immortal heart." He nodded, bending his head to rest against her hands in a reverent gesture.  
  
She swallowed again, only this time it was in an attempt to hold back tears of joy. "I… I love you as well, Legolas."  
  
He let out the breath he'd been holding, smiling softly. "You would be my princess then?"  
  
Kate feigned a grimace. "Eh… I know even less about being a princess than I do about being an elf… let alone an Elvish princess."  
  
"A minor complication. You need not worry overmuch about it." He leaned forward on his knees, his brow against her stomach in an embrace. "Come… lie down with me."  
  
She did as he asked, settling against the soft leaves and laying her weapons aside. Still on his knees, Legolas looked down at her, his grey eyes alight and a small smile on his lips. With deliberate slowness, he leaned down and brushed his lips over hers, a gentle almost beseeching kiss. She responded in kind, drawing in a breath and letting one of her hands slide up his arm and neck to rest against his cheek.  
  
There were very few men she felt she could aptly apply the term beautiful to… Legolas was one of them. The smooth texture of his skin, the silkiness of his hair… on anyone else it would have been overpoweringly girlish… on him it was a wonder. Not for the first time, she was thankful for her new Elvish form… she would have felt ungainly, almost severe next to him. Human skin was rougher… Elvish skin against its like was…seductive even in the most casual touch, like silk against satin. Her breath caught in her throat every time their flesh met.  
  
As if reading her mind, Legolas covered her hand with his, pressing a worshipful kiss to her palm, smiling when her eyes flicked in distraction. "My beauty… do you find my touch so delightful?"  
  
"Yes…" she managed in a soft whimper. "Don't tease me, Legolas… it's not fair."  
  
"Ah, but I am not teasing. I fully intend to act upon these small gestures with the full measure of my love, rest assured." He murmured against her hand, his breath hot.  
  
Almost without her conscious effort, Kate's hands slipped to the fastenings of his tunic, parting the silvery cloth eagerly. With a small growl of frustration that made Legolas laugh gently, she undid a few buttons clumsily and pushed the garment to the forest floor.  
  
"A little anxious, my sweet?" he asked, his own eyes alight with longing, not a hint of discomfort.  
  
She blushed, but nodded. "For this? Most certainly." She pulled him down slowly by his shoulders, whispering in his ear with deliberate breathiness. "I have loved you for some time… and desired you for somewhat longer."  
  
He drew in a long, shaky breath. "Have you?"  
  
She smiled, triumphing in her small victory. "Since Ocean City… when we frolicked in the surf. You were by far the 'prettiest piece of flesh[1]' on that beach."  
  
He returned her blazing look. "I know not… I was occupied. There was a certain fair human distracting me."  
  
"I knew you liked that blonde in the pink bikini." She teased, feigning an injury to her pride.  
  
"Not in the least…" he breathed before lowering his head next to hers so that his mouth was against her ear. Slowly, at first only his searing breath caressed her flesh, but his lips and tongue swiftly followed. Kate nearly bolted upright at the wave of sensual electricity that shot through her at the contact, setting her veins on fire.  
  
"Legolas!" she gasped, one hand splayed against his naked back, the other combing through his hair.  
  
"Hush, Katyrial…what is it?" he whispered, holding her.  
  
"I… what… how…?" she panted. "I didn't think my ears were that… sensitive."  
  
He sighed with a smile. "It is a common sweet spot among Elves… our ears are very keen… and very responsive to touch."  
  
"So I discover…" she blinked, her breathing shaky.  
  
Legolas pushed away from the ground, once again kneeling above her, the moonlight gleaming on his pale skin and hair, making him look as though he were made of liquid silver. Kate took a deep draught of air and sat up, her hands running shyly over his lithe chest and arms. Slender though he was, there was not one sign of weakness in his form… every well-defined muscle was taut as a bowstring. His heart thundered a triple beat under her fingertips as his eyes closed, a soft sound of pleasure purring in his throat.  
  
"Two can play at this game." She batted her eyelashes at him seductively.  
  
"But this is no game, young Katyrial." He smiled, his nimble fingers unlacing her tunic to expose the thin, almost transparent garment she wore underneath. His breath visibly caught. Yes, he had seen her scarcely clothed on the beach in Ocean City and his memory had not failed him yet, but the sight of her as such made his heart leap and hammer.  
  
She gasped at the feel of chill night air on her warmed skin, even as she slid her boots and leggings off, leaving her only with the slip-like shirt of light blue. Legolas' eyes were liquid mithril as he watched her, filled with desire. He grasped her hands gently and led them back to his chest, pulling her up against him in the process. Even through their last layers of clothing, she could still feel the burning heat of him… could still feel his blood coursing through his veins, singing with passion. His hands wandered possessively over her back and down the backs of her legs, playing at the hem of her tunic meaningfully.  
  
"Katyrial…" he whispered as his fingers slipped under and began to drag the cloth upwards, leaning his head forward to kiss her neck gently, his lips and tongue toying at her pulse. Without conscious thought to anything other than the male elf in her arms, Kate lifted her arms up obediently, letting him lift the tunic off of her.  
  
Her eyes locked with his, electrifying the air between them. Slowly, almost as though he believed her to be more dream than reality, Legolas ran his palms up her arms, tenderly pulling her to rest flush against him, her breasts pressed against his chest. She moaned softly at the contact as Legolas tilted his head back, a low groan in his throat.  
  
Elves generally did not make love completely unclothed, although they took delight in each other's naked bodies. Elvish skin on Elvish skin was an intimate and often intensely pleasurable experience, and one not to be taken lightly. To be naked was to be vulnerable and to be vulnerable was both frightening and exciting.  
  
"Katyrial… ai… such a sweet feeling…" he panted, shivering lightly. "My skin to yours… I might lose myself too soon if we are not careful."  
  
She nodded, unable to speak and barely able to breathe as she let her head fall back helplessly. The sensation of his lean, heaving chest pressed so warmly to her soft body was intoxicating… her blood sang and her entire body ached with the need for her elf to make love to her. All thought of the quest was forgotten, disappearing with the span of two Elvish bodies in harmony.  
  
With amazing swiftness, Legolas shed off his own boots and leggings, his body barely leaving the heat of hers. Kate gasped aloud when he lowered her down onto her back and covered her body with his. The delicious contrast between cold air and fevered skin nearly made her cry out. Legolas groaned deep in his throat, his eyes drifting shut and his brow furrowing as though he were in pain. Kate drew her shaking hands over his long sides and back, relishing the smoothness of his skin under her questing hands.  
  
Together, they lay still for a few moment, luxuriating in the experience of making love in the middle of the wilderness, even though danger lay both behind and ahead of them. The Ring, despite its extensive subliminal powers, could not intrude upon the love blossoming nearby.  
  
Kate kissed Legolas' jaw-line gently, her breath rushing against his ear and making him shiver. He reciprocated, nuzzling her head to side so that he could pay proper homage to her pale neck, kissing along her pulse and giving little licks and nips just hard enough to make her whimper. With a sigh, he raised himself back off of her despite her small whine of protest. With gentle hands, he spread her legs and positioned himself between them. She met his eyes shyly, her cheeks flaming in sudden modesty. He understood and ran one hand down between her breasts and over her stomach in a reverent caress, his eyes adoring.  
  
Slowly, he lowered himself back down, sliding his head over her body, kissing whatever flesh he passed and rubbing his cheek against her like a cat marking his territory. His silken lips played at the underside of her breasts, making her twist under him in an attempt to guide him to the aching tips. He smiled playfully before closing his mouth over one pink tip, suckling with infinite gentleness. She cried out sharply, her hands combing through his hair to urge him on.  
  
He spent only a passing minute on each breast before he slid along her fully, pressing a passionate kiss to her lips, exploring with his tongue in response to her writhing whimpers. His hands cupped her breasts instead, his long fingers playing over them with soft demand. Unable to help herself, Kate opened her legs wider, unconsciously rubbing her wetness against Legolas' erect member. He broke away with a shivering moan that was almost a growl, thrusting forward slightly so that he was poised at her entrance but did not push within just yet.  
  
"Katyrial…vanimelda[2]…" he whispered between kisses.  
  
"Please... Legolas..." she panted, tilting her hips against him encouragingly.  
  
Her whispered entry undid him and he entered her in quick thrust, sheathing himself within her tight body with a hiss of exhaled breath. Kate gave a small cry, clinging to him and kissing his neck with quiet, but burning passion. Slowly, together they struck up a rhythm, sliding their bodies in aching progression, their hearts beating as one in a frantic beat.  
  
Sweat broke out on both of their bodies despite the cool night, each of them clutching the other as though every breath depended on remaining joined. Legolas gritted his teeth in concentration, desperate to keep from losing all control until Katyrial had reached her own satisfaction. But the sensation of her hot, fluid flesh so tight around his arousal was nearly too much… the knowledge that she loved him as much as he loved her, while simple in its purity, was too intense for him to keep his control for long.  
  
Kate wrapped her legs around his waist, urging him deeper, her back arched off of the ground as she cried out with each thrust, her voice sweet on the night breeze. Making love had never felt like this before. Certainly it had been pleasurable, even intense on occasion… but this was more passionate and fulfilling than anything else she had ever experienced. She and Legolas were no longer two separate entities united only by race…they were one in body, heart, and soul.  
  
Her cries grew louder and her body tensed under his as lightning flashed through her body in repeated strikes. Her passage tightened around him in fevered pulses, sending him over the edge in a heartbeat. Impassioned, Legolas sat up, pulling her body within his so that she straddled his lap tightly. A hoarse, musical cry ripped itself from his throat as he poured himself into her, burning fluid binding their bodies together in a passionate embrace.  
  
Together, as one, they rode on wave after wave of pleasure, each one decreasing slightly until only mild shocks ran through their blood. They clung together still, Legolas' head resting against Kate's breastbone, listening to her gradually slowing heartbeat. Kate ran her fingers lightly over the sweaty skin of Legolas' back, quietly admiring the shine of the moonlight on his skin.  
  
"Katyrial…" he whispered at last. "My sweet love…"  
  
She sighed, a smile on her lips. "Legolas…" she replied in answer.  
  
"We are one now…bound together through more than just our bodies." He said softly, meeting her eyes keenly through the darkness. "I will warn you, Katyrial… Elves do not bind easily. This is no mortal's game. You are an immortal now… do you think that you can enjoy an eternity as mine?"  
  
"I might ask the same question of you, my prince." She smiled.  
  
"With you? I could happily live a thousand eternities with you." He said in a soft voice, his eyes alight with a smile.  
  
"It's the same for me." She whispered, kissing his forehead gently.  
  
----------------------- [1]Shakespeare, from Romeo and Juliet.  
  
[2] Quenya – fair-love 


End file.
